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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom: 20 x - supported memory: MS Duo, MS PRO Duo, MS PRO-HG Duo




  • - The intelligent sensing option is very , very good , it recognized exactly what I wanted in terms of exposure . - I used the panorama feature more than I expected . The people I showed the pictures to were amazed that a camera could even do this . Although not quiet as detailed as HD shots , most people will not even see the difference . - The night architectural interior and exterior shots were done with very little setup or time , and yet the photos look like they were deliberate and careful . - The battery was great and lasted the entire trip . On the negative side , I think Sony could work on a protection cover for the main LCD screen , a person definately needs to apply a clear film protector to guard against damage . I think more detail to extreme weather and dust protection would put this in a class all by itself . In closing Sony designers did a very beautiful job of putting together a camera that challenges Canon and Nikon $2,000 and $3,000 cameras and a fraction of the cost . I challenge you to go one step further and dust , water , sand , and drop proof this camera to put the icing on the cake of this well engineered and revolutionary camera .
    • 037 4  You'll be surprised as to the level of improvement that this camera has vs her sister H50 . Image Quality is very very good , movies are great in almost HD , menus are much friendlier . Panoramas are something that you will not use much after the initial excitement . I have Canon SLR with costly lenses and this camera is a great deal for what you are getting . I will surely recommend it to anyone , novice or amateur .
    • 049 4  This camera has everything a person needs to take both close up macrophotography and telephoto shots . The value and pricing points are solid . I took it on a short vacation to Costa Rica and had not even taken practice shots until we arrived in country . The camera is very light . I included some of the 100 or so shots I took in the sample gallery and they turned out excellent in terms of resolution and color balance . I mainly used it as a point and shoot and really did not have much time to play with all the creative options . I cannot help but think that if a person had more time and creativity , they could come up with some great award winning shots . I was especially impressed with the following camera features : - The intelligent sensing option is very , very good , it recognized exactly what I wanted in terms of exposure . - I used the panorama feature more than I expected . The people I showed the pictures to were amazed that a camera could even do this . Although not quiet as detailed as HD shots , most people will not even see the difference . - The night architectural interior and exterior shots were done with very little setup or time , and yet the photos look like they were deliberate and careful . - The battery was great and lasted the entire trip . On the negative side , I think Sony could work on a protection cover for the main LCD screen , a person definately needs to apply a clear film protector to guard against damage . I think more detail to extreme weather and dust protection would put this in a class all by itself . In closing Sony designers did a very beautiful job of putting together a camera that challenges Canon and Nikon $2,000 and $3,000 cameras and a fraction of the cost . I challenge you to go one step further and dust , water , sand , and drop proof this camera to put the icing on the cake of this well engineered and revolutionary camera .
    • 077 4  The camera takes crispy , vivid pictures . Most features , such as 10 fps burst , work as nicely . The panoramic mode works but not every single shoot succeeds - some of mine were not stitched smoothly , one people's face was 1 / 4 chopped . The video side is a bit disappointed . When shooting on 1440x1080 HD mode , the unmoved objects are unspeakable clear , but for the moving scenes , such as shooting city building from a moving car , or even just zooming in and zooming out , the video is very unsmooth . I think it drops frames for some reason . But I figure I should use video cam for video and camera for photos only . I own a Sony SR - 11 HD camcorder , the video is much smoother - it can take pictures , but just not as good as a camera with the same pixel numbers . Overall , the camera is well worthy for the price . Strongly recommand HX - 1 . Also , the original camera I received had defect - it could not read any memory sticks . I requested item exchange and the 2nd one was shipped to in front of my house within 20 hrs ! Amazing Amazon .
    • 080 4  This is the best and affordable camera and camcorder you can get in the same package . The image quality is great in its class and the video is unbeatable ( 1080P ) . It has several features ; some that are inclusively unique , like the panoramic , twilight and anti blur features . It can detect eye blinks , smiles on adults , childs , even on infants , and prioritize between them . It has an incredible zoom ( 20x ) , movable 3 inch LCD , and an electronic View Finder with all the functions that are present on the LCD . Cons So far , the only negative thing that I have found is that with low light when you make a high zoom the focus keeps hunting . I have attended this weakness during the zoom in low light , by selecting manual focus and manually focusing on the desired item .
    • 118 4  Happy Cinco de Mayo y'all . This Sony HX 1 is very good and very user friendly . Sweep Panorama is an amazing feature . The camera size's small and light than what I excepted . As you know this Sony HX 1 has tons of features , the price is right . Even tough I know the price will go down some days later , I need it now and also I think this camera will sold out very fast . Sony's website is already out of stock for this camera . Buy it here or retail store or where ever you can find , you won't regret .

  • 1 . above average shutter lag but definitely faster than the compact and ultra compact P & S digicams 2 . Manual settings is a big plus 3 . Zoom can be extended up to 32x when shooting on 5 megapixel 4 . Optical Stabilization works very well 5 . Flash is extremely powerful . You can take pictures in VERY LOW LIGHT situations , and produce a bright crisp pics 6 . 10 fps burst mode . There are options for 2 , 3 , and 5 FPS 7 . Anti-blur is superb 8 . Clear and crisp pictures when maxing out the zoom 9 . Very light and portable 10 . Good grip and excellent lens Cons : 1 . Macro is below average . My Panasonic tz3 and Sony T200 takes much better pics on macro mode 2 . Lens cap is flimsy 3 . Automatic ISO mode does not alway take good pictures 4 . You have to wait for 16 seocnds to take another shot when using the 10 fps burst mode 5 . LCD screen do not completely swivel 6 . It doesn't do my laundry I have not tested the HD video so I can't comment on it . Also , I am very much aware that this is not a dslr so I will not complain that it doesn't take good pictures like the DSLR'r or as fast . To do so would be idiotic , stupid , and ignorant . CONCLUSION : Get this camera if you know how to use the manual mode with the proper settings . You will be guaranteed to have excellent pictures . Stay away from this camera if you would only use the automatic mode as it would be such a waste of your hard earned money . I highly recommend Canon , Sony T series , and the newer Panasonic models for the photography-challenged . For the intermediate to advanced photography enthusiasts , this is an excellent second camera . It is light , portable , and have so many manual settings which would allow you to create amazing photo quality
    • 018 4  I have had this camera for two days and have experimented with it by taking over 250 pictures using both automatic and manual setting . I read on CNET review that this camera's photo quality is not that great . That is half true . The picture will not turn out sharp and clear if you always use automatic settings ; however , manual mode with the correct settings will result in dslr-like photo quality . You really have to manually adjust the settings if you want to have good quality pics . If you don't know what you're doing , I suggest you stick with the auto mode . Pros : 1 . above average shutter lag but definitely faster than the compact and ultra compact P & S digicams 2 . Manual settings is a big plus 3 . Zoom can be extended up to 32x when shooting on 5 megapixel 4 . Optical Stabilization works very well 5 . Flash is extremely powerful . You can take pictures in VERY LOW LIGHT situations , and produce a bright crisp pics 6 . 10 fps burst mode . There are options for 2 , 3 , and 5 FPS 7 . Anti-blur is superb 8 . Clear and crisp pictures when maxing out the zoom 9 . Very light and portable 10 . Good grip and excellent lens Cons : 1 . Macro is below average . My Panasonic tz3 and Sony T200 takes much better pics on macro mode 2 . Lens cap is flimsy 3 . Automatic ISO mode does not alway take good pictures 4 . You have to wait for 16 seocnds to take another shot when using the 10 fps burst mode 5 . LCD screen do not completely swivel 6 . It doesn't do my laundry I have not tested the HD video so I can't comment on it . Also , I am very much aware that this is not a dslr so I will not complain that it doesn't take good pictures like the DSLR'r or as fast . To do so would be idiotic , stupid , and ignorant . CONCLUSION : Get this camera if you know how to use the manual mode with the proper settings . You will be guaranteed to have excellent pictures . Stay away from this camera if you would only use the automatic mode as it would be such a waste of your hard earned money . I highly recommend Canon , Sony T series , and the newer Panasonic models for the photography-challenged . For the intermediate to advanced photography enthusiasts , this is an excellent second camera . It is light , portable , and have so many manual settings which would allow you to create amazing photo quality
    • 122 4  For those adventurous amateur photographer , this camera will fit all your needs ! So much fun with sweep panorama functionality ! Nice pictures in low light conditions due to its technology which increases the light exposure by taking six pictures and integrating them . Of course , best results ( less grain in pictures ) might be achieved by increasing the exposure time at low ISO , but it may result in poor pictures of ( not necessarily fast ) moving subjects .
    • 140 4  I'm still getting used to the cam . I had a Canon A620 before . I'm a little bit worried about the noise in this cam , when using higher ISOs . . . But I'm glad about my choice till now .

  • 001 4  I was looking for a new digital camera to replace my Leica V-Lux 1 which a bought a couple of years ago . I sold the Leica and was planning to use the money to buy a current camera . My dilemma was whether to stay with a super zoom camera ( flaws and all ) or take a step toward an entry model DSLR . I also wanted a 2009 model as I wanted the most current technology available so I would be less inclined to feel the need to buy an upgrade in another year or so . Ultimately , I narrowed my search down to the Sony HX1 , Canon SX1 , Panasonic G1 and Sony a300 . For me , build quality and feel , size ( travel convenience ) and lens versatility were my main priorities ( not necessarily in that order ) . I think it is very important to figure out exactly what you really want out of your camera so you get a good fit that matches your expectations . So for me , low light picture quality was not a major concern as I expected to use the camera mostly outdoors or in good lighting situations . And in-door shots were probably going to be portraits or museum shots so again it was not a big concern for me . Initially , I really liked the form factor of the SX10 ( SX1 was not out yet ) and its feel in my hands and layout . But I did want a reusable intelligent battery vs . AAs and I was not that impressed with the screen resolution and EVF . Reviews of the SX1 were also a little disappointing so I decided to pass on the Canon . I next explored the DSLRs . I really liked the Sony a300 but in the end couldn't justify the cost ( this is a minor hobby for me and kids are teenagers so there are a lot less Kodak moments for m ) and I didn't want to lug lenses around as I did that most of my life when I had old fashioned film cameras like the Nikon FE2 / N6006 . The G1 was very intriguing but I was leaving on a summer vacation in early June and did not want to wait too long as I wanted to be completely familiar with the camera before the trip and know how to work the camera so I got good results ( experience has taught me that there is a learning curve on getting descent pictures from a particular model ) so I passed on the G1 as its release date was in June . In the end , I talked myself out of buying a DSLR system for one main reason - I simply was not ready or committed to traveling around with all the lenses I would want - wide angle and zoom . Basically I went with convenience / ease of use over picture perfection . For ME the step up in picture quality was not worth the trouble of walking around with all that gear . I do a fair amount of camping and scenic trips so I like to keep my load light . HD video was not an issue at all as I have the Canon HV30 which is simply an amazing camcorder . It also takes incredible video in low light situations . I highly recommend it . In the end , I decided on the HX1 because of the features that I thought were cool and would inspire creativity on my part . For me , convenience is a big factor . At some point , my enthusiasm drops off in direct relationship to whether or not it is a PIA to do something . This is a character flaw for me but worth considering if you have similar tendencies over time . Interestingly , this also happens to be my first Sony camera although I have had several Sony camcorders in the past - so I don't believe that brand loyalty or familiarity with Sony played a part in my decision ( aside from my confidence that Sony products made in Japan are exceptionally well made ) . The panoramic picture , twilight and anti-blur features and burst picture mode ( 10 frames ) ultimately swayed . I thought that all of these features , despite some valid weaknesses added value to the camera and would enhance my digital camera experience . I also really liked the build quality , menu structure and ergonomics . As for the features , the panoramic picture feature works well once you understand how to use it and recognize its limitations . So far I have been very happy with the results . I am working on sharpening the picture as I think it is a little soft for my tastes . But it is so easy to use and I use it often just for fun ! I find myself exploring options - something I would not do before and certainly not during post production when I am trying to tweak the 100s of pictures that I have taken during some adventure . Same for the twilight and anti-blur features . I find myself trying out each feature and comparing the results . Again , I am very happy with the results . Is it exceptional - no , but pictures turn out better than if you did not have the option and I am not overly critical as it looks great on the screen or 4x6 print out . Even 8x10 is respectable . Quite frankly , it's really nice not to have to do all that editing in post production . ( I use Adobe CS . ) I think the lens quality is exceptional and like the way the camera lens extends out when you power up the camera - as it pushes off the lens cap . A small cute feature that everyone seems to have overlooked in their reviews . But quite easy to get used to - like all the little auto on features in your car ( and the lens has a strap so it safely hangs by the side of the camera ) . I am not sure if that is an intended result but I love it . I wish the initial start up was a tad faster but it's not slow - I just wish it was faster . Zooming in and out is average . Nothing to write home about but not necessarily slow . My recollection is that the Panasonic Z26 I had at one time was faster . I also wish the lens was slightly wider than 28mm but it will have to do . ( I am spoiled on this point as my son has a Nikon 10.5mm lens on his Nikon D2H and it is amazing when taking close ups of flowers , etc . - I love the distortion ) . But on the flip side the zoom is amazing on the HX1 and the anti-shake feature seems to do the job . I love the way I can pull a subject in to fill the screen ! So overall I am very happy with the lens ' performance . The EVF is small but has nice resolution . The 3 screen is beautiful and much better than what I saw on the SX10 . The Sony screen reminds me of HD TV - it is that smooth and the colors are fantastic . It appears to have a very good anti-reflective coating . Hopefully it will last . I wish it had a swivel mount like the canon so I could turn in the screen to protect it when it is put away but the articulating stem is better than nothing . Menu navigation is relatively easy for me with the HX1 and I prefer it to the Canon menu for some reason - even though I have HV30 camcorder . I think Sony started from scratch on this menu or adopted the basic scheme from the a300 / a350 series and it makes sense and is intuitive . I like it better than the menu tree on my past Nikons , Canons and Panasonics . All in all , I am extremely happy with the HX1 ( only had it for a week so far ) and strongly recommend that you check out the camera in person as I read every ( and I mean every ) pre-sale review on it and found that a lot of the criticisms were overly hyper-technical or ultimately less significant during my test of the camera .
    • 002 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) * * Modified 05 - 08 - 09 by adding nitpick #5 : ) * * * I had been a digital point-and-shoot camera person for about 12 years , since the Canon Powershot 100 . Over that time , I've upgraded to various Powershot models until 2 years ago , got a Sony A100 DSLR . I love that camera and have lots of fun taking pictures with it . For work , we had been using my A100 to take product photos . It was nice having a remote , and all of the great DSLR features that come along with that camera . But , I have been without my A100 for a while , and was missing it dearly , so I decided to get another camera for work , and was having trouble deciding between the DSC-HX1 and the A200 DSLR . I've been playing with both , and have decided to return the A200 and keep the DSC-HX1 . Here's why : 1 . The other people helping me take these product photos don't have any DSLR experience , and don't share my enthusiasm for photography . They prefer point-and-shoot . So from an ease of use standpoint , the DSC-HX1 is a better choice , especially with the live view . The A200 doesn't have that , and although the A350 does , it does cost $100 more . 2 . The HX1 has enough features on it to allow us to play with settings to get a great shot . You can control aperture , shutter speed , etc , just like on a DSLR . Manual focusing is available , but using the selective focusing is much more accurate for our non-moving subject . We just move the cursor to highlight the area that should be in focus , and the camera does the rest . Otherwise , there are lots of DSLR-like features . 3 . The picture quality is pretty good . The JPG only shooting mode may put off more serious photographers who want RAW , but is fine for those moving up from lesser cameras . The large lens and CMOS 4 . Live histogram view is nice to make sure you get a good exposure . 5 . The optical zoom is great . I turn off digital zoom , since I don't really like it . 6 . It's very light , much lighter than the A200 and even more so than my A100 setup . 7 . The panorama feature is nice , but we won't be using it at the office . 8 . The noise reduction modes are nice , but we won't be using it , since we have a lightbox and tripod setup for our needs . However , at a birthday party , I could see how this would be a nice feature . There are some drawbacks that I would like to see addressed in future models : 1 . I wish I could manually focus with a dial . The manual and semi-manual focusing on this thing has you move a scroll wheel to select a distance , and doesn't give the fine focusing of an actual lense dial on a DSLR . The selective focus is a nice feature that allows us to compensate for it , but this won't work well with moving subjects , but the semi-manual mode is a decent compromise . 2 . There is a slight lag with the live view that I'm not used to coming from a DSLR . However , the tilting ability of the screen helps is nice , and makes up for this minor drawback . 3 . With a tripod mount fitted , it's impossible to access the memory card slot . The DSLRs had this on the side of the camera . 4 . Even with a tripod , it's possible to get blurry pictures when you press the shutter button . I thought that I read a review of the camera somewhere that said it had a remote . I didn't see mention of one in the manual , and of course there wasn't one in the box . However , it would be a great feature . The 2 second timer is ok , but not as convenient . * * * ADDED 05 - 08 - 09 * * * 5 . Although this camera has a great zoom lens for a non-DSLR , I found that it had difficulty focusing on close objects with a high zoom . Taking close-ups from about 2.5 feet away , I found it difficult to go beyond 3x zoom . Just another difference between this and a DSLR with a huge telephoto lens . Of course , moving the product closer , and reducing the zoom did the trick . Most people probably wouldn't be using the zoom lens this way , and probably won't have an issue with this limitation . * * * Overall , I would choose this camera over the A200 for many applications , but mainly for ease of use . The quality is great , and it has lots of features . Unless you need to change lenses or need precise manual focusing , it's hard to go wrong with this camera . It's for someone who likes to take pictures , wants good quality photos , but doesn't want the heft nor the bulk of a DSLR .
    • 003 4  * * Modified 05 - 08 - 09 by adding nitpick #5 : ) * * * I had been a digital point-and-shoot camera person for about 12 years , since the Canon Powershot 100 . Over that time , I've upgraded to various Powershot models until 2 years ago , got a Sony A100 DSLR . I love that camera and have lots of fun taking pictures with it . For work , we had been using my A100 to take product photos . It was nice having a remote , and all of the great DSLR features that come along with that camera . But , I have been without my A100 for a while , and was missing it dearly , so I decided to get another camera for work , and was having trouble deciding between the DSC-HX1 and the A200 DSLR . I've been playing with both , and have decided to return the A200 and keep the DSC-HX1 . Here's why : 1 . The other people helping me take these product photos don't have any DSLR experience , and don't share my enthusiasm for photography . They prefer point-and-shoot . So from an ease of use standpoint , the DSC-HX1 is a better choice , especially with the live view . The A200 doesn't have that , and although the A350 does , it does cost $100 more . 2 . The HX1 has enough features on it to allow us to play with settings to get a great shot . You can control aperture , shutter speed , etc , just like on a DSLR . Manual focusing is available , but using the selective focusing is much more accurate for our non-moving subject . We just move the cursor to highlight the area that should be in focus , and the camera does the rest . Otherwise , there are lots of DSLR-like features . 3 . The picture quality is pretty good . The JPG only shooting mode may put off more serious photographers who want RAW , but is fine for those moving up from lesser cameras . The large lens and CMOS 4 . Live histogram view is nice to make sure you get a good exposure . 5 . The optical zoom is great . I turn off digital zoom , since I don't really like it . 6 . It's very light , much lighter than the A200 and even more so than my A100 setup . 7 . The panorama feature is nice , but we won't be using it at the office . 8 . The noise reduction modes are nice , but we won't be using it , since we have a lightbox and tripod setup for our needs . However , at a birthday party , I could see how this would be a nice feature . There are some drawbacks that I would like to see addressed in future models : 1 . I wish I could manually focus with a dial . The manual and semi-manual focusing on this thing has you move a scroll wheel to select a distance , and doesn't give the fine focusing of an actual lense dial on a DSLR . The selective focus is a nice feature that allows us to compensate for it , but this won't work well with moving subjects , but the semi-manual mode is a decent compromise . 2 . There is a slight lag with the live view that I'm not used to coming from a DSLR . However , the tilting ability of the screen helps is nice , and makes up for this minor drawback . 3 . With a tripod mount fitted , it's impossible to access the memory card slot . The DSLRs had this on the side of the camera . 4 . Even with a tripod , it's possible to get blurry pictures when you press the shutter button . I thought that I read a review of the camera somewhere that said it had a remote . I didn't see mention of one in the manual , and of course there wasn't one in the box . However , it would be a great feature . The 2 second timer is ok , but not as convenient . * * * ADDED 05 - 08 - 09 * * * 5 . Although this camera has a great zoom lens for a non-DSLR , I found that it had difficulty focusing on close objects with a high zoom . Taking close-ups from about 2.5 feet away , I found it difficult to go beyond 3x zoom . Just another difference between this and a DSLR with a huge telephoto lens . Of course , moving the product closer , and reducing the zoom did the trick . Most people probably wouldn't be using the zoom lens this way , and probably won't have an issue with this limitation . * * * Overall , I would choose this camera over the A200 for many applications , but mainly for ease of use . The quality is great , and it has lots of features . Unless you need to change lenses or need precise manual focusing , it's hard to go wrong with this camera . It's for someone who likes to take pictures , wants good quality photos , but doesn't want the heft nor the bulk of a DSLR .
    • 004 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) This camera is fantastic . I have had it for about almost a week and I can honestly say , it takes beautiful photos . The zoom really gets out there , and even the smart zoom works well . I usually do not use the digital zoom , but it works when you need it . The burst mode is awesome when you use it . Great for sports photos . I shot some baseball team practice photos and it just stops the action . The twilight mode works well and even the high ISO shots are acceptable . The panoramic mode is cool . While taking the photos separately and stitching them together would achieve better results , this is more convenient . Battery life is great . I am still using it on the initial charge . Over 300 shots and 10 short videos and there is still over 90 minutes left according to the camera . After playing with a Panasonic DMC-FZ828 & Canon SX1 I am confident that this is the best camera for me for the money . The image quality is on par or better than the others , the HD video is better , and there are just so many more features on the Sony that make it a winner .
    • 007 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) I was somewhat scarred as a youth having to carry around a huge film SLR . Looking back now I appreciate the film quality , but it made me a point and click user for most of my adult life . Now that I have a child , I really wanted to get back to the best possible picture quality and also capture HD movies . The HX1 is exactly the camera I need and can afford right now . The photo quality is the best I've experienced in years and the HD video is top notch . My previous cameras , the Sony T500 and W290 had very good 720p HD video . The HX1 1080p HD video is noticeably better . After two weeks and weekends of use , here are my pros and cons : Pros - Great photo quality - Full size HDMI cable support . It comes with an adapter so you can use any HDMI cable which is much cheaper than buying a Mini HDMI cable - Camera feels very solid - Panorama mode is fun , especially if you print it out - HD video is fantastic . Stereo sound is great - Great feel in your hands , comfortable grip - LCD is nice and big . Swivel screen feature gets used a lot - Automatic mode gets the perfect shot most of the time - I love that there are different levels of shooting modes including full manual . I feel this is the perfect trainer before moving to a full SLR - Camera is very light Cons - Camera turns on and off fairly quickly , but not instant ( fast enough that I haven't missed any photo ops though ) - I wish the LCD swiveled to protect the screen . I highly recommend a screen protector as the LCD rubs against your chest when using the neck strap - Low light performance is better than point and clicks , but it's no SLR I feel the HX1 is the perfect camera for those seeking great photos , sharp HD video , and a high zoom for a price more affordable than a full SLR with HD video and high zoom lens . When I visit friends and family , the HDMI cable is so easy to plug in to HDTVs for quick viewings . At home , I connect my pro duo card to the PS3 which reads the data flawlessly .
    • 009 4  Had this camera for about a week now and have already taken hundreds of photos and hours of video , it's difficult to put down . Simply stated , this camera is ideal for anyone wanting a technologically superior , intermediate / advanced , point and click digital camera , without the knowledge required or hassle of a DSLR . The panorama feature worked flawlessly right out of the box , just be careful not to have fast moving objects in the frame . The gorgeous , articulating LCD is a godsend . Expected a little better still picture quality from the CMOS sensor but is overall satisfactory , color reproduction is very accurate . 1080p video quality is superb . In camera editing features are great . 20x optical zoom is outstanding . I can achieve very sharp , high contrast photos using basic editing software such as Picasa . Video and stereo sound is top quality . I bought this camera after retiring my DSC-H1 ( the original ultra-zoom , 12x ) . The H1 was the workhorse of my camera collection and I relied upon it to get the job done , quickly and conveniently . The upgrades from the H1 to the HX1 are immeasurable . I especially love the G lens , the speed ( 10fps burst ) and the fact that you can zoom video . It's as if they took every issue I had with the H1 ( which were few ) and fixed , upgraded , and or added it to the HX1 and then some . My only con is the fact that it doesn't seem able to fit aftermarket lens filters . I am hoping to rely on this new version for many years to come . Great camera ! I agree with the above reviewer who talked about the lens popping off on power up , brilliant ! ! ! Makes me smile every time ! : ) Advice : Purchase an extra battery , good case , LCD screen protectors , basic cleaning kit , large memory stick ( at least 4gb ) , and I would recommend a car charger ( has saved me many times ) . Note : Most if not all Sony products are proprietary , meaning only Sony accessories will work with your Sony product for the most part , i.e . batteries , memory card , etc . . This is not an issue for me as I trust Sony quality .
    • 011 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) The features are excellent in this camera . Like the burst mode which captures up to 10 pics and u can choose the best out of it . Similarly the smile detection mode which really does a good job of clicking at the right moment . The flash in completely dark ambiance comes really good as if the place had good lighting . Sweep Panorama is simply great , so easy and most of the time even if we shake the picture still comes good . The HD video is simply awesome both the quality of the video and audio . The bad part ( yes its bad , to me its highly disappointing ) is the quality of the picture is really not meeting the basic expectation . The pictures are most of the time noisy irrespective of good lighting or not . In Intelligent Auto mode , you have to either choose burst or smile detection mode . The un-comfortable part is in burst mode the flash can't be switched on and in the smile detection mode flash can be switched on but the camera starts clicking automatically even before every one in the picture is ready and we are ready to take the picture ( like before we adjust the area of the picture ) . So we are forced to go for the Manual / Program mode which is not a great answer for a point-and-shoot camera . On a whole the camera has real great features , but the noisy image quality makes it average or below average camera . Sony should definitely correct this and release the next version .
    • 014 4  The DSC-HX1 has been around Sony's Cybershot H series family for awhile now , and it doesn't seem to want to step down from its throne as the king of the Sony superzoom series . Having won the TIPA award for best superzoom digital camera in 2009 , this camera is kind of tough to beat , even for Sony . I wonder if the engineers at Sony Japan is cracking their heads trying to come up with the next best superzoom as I'm typing this late review of a camera that has already been out there conquering the world for nearly a year . The HX1 doesn't have the best image sensor . At 9.1 Megapixels , its sensor's resolution is less than impressive when an entry level Sony Cybershot can easily give you 10.1 Megapixels , or more . In fact compared to most smaller digital cameras out there , its CMOS sensor tends to be a little on the noisy side . The WX1 and TX1 have better output at ISO 800 and above , the HX1 struggles with noise in the dark . The uploaded images showing the noise levels from ISO 125 all the way to ISO 3200 proves it . However , when you're considering buying a camera like the HX1 or any superzoom digital cameras , you're looking for something that can zoom beyond the pathetic 3X , 4X or 5X , and the G-lens of the HX1 does a fantastic job at bringing you an almost distortion free , 20X ( from 28mm to 560mm ) of optical zoom . I use my Sony Alpha 550 to shoot stock photos for obvious reasons ( low noise , great details ) , but when I want something that weighs less than a brick that I can lug around with me all the time while I'm out with friends having a good time , a super compact like the S950 , TX1 or the WX1 just seems to be missing something . For one , these cameras , as good as they are with noise supression , does not allow manual control of my exposures , which can be a bit of a nightmare when I need to shoot in the dark . I understand that point-and-shoot usually doesn't happen at places completely devoided of light , but from my experience , there are occasions when you just want to use your compact to take in the dark atmosphere as it is , and this is where these super compacts refuse to work with me . Even the so-called long exposure modes like the night mode , fireworks mode will only open the shuttle of these super compacts for 1 to 2 seconds , which I find rediculous . The HX1 , thankfully for its manual and shuttle speed control , let's me control the length of the exposure up to 30 seconds ( no bulb mode here , unfortunately ) . So , along with all the convienience of a super compact ( if you can get over the size , it's not exactly big , but not something you can slip into a pocket either ) , the HX1 gives you just enough manual controls , including manual focusing to let you compose your shots more freely when you want to take over . Super compacts like the S950 , TX1 and WX1 simply refuse to let you do anything beyond pressing the shuttle halfway down to focus , and all the way down to capture . Is the HX1 a perfect camera ? No . But does it perform ? Yes . As a superzoom with DSLR controls , it does way more than any super compact could . It may not deliver the cleanest pictures ( maybe Sony can fix this with a firmware upgrade ? ) , but its superzoom G-lens allows you to pull in objects so far away that no DSLRs can do with just one lens . The most powerful zoom lens from the Sony alpha family can only zoom up to 14x , from 27mm to 375mm , whereas this tiny little ( compared to a DLSR ) bridge camera zooms from 28mm to 560mm . Oh yeah , and just like any compact cameras , you don't need to switch lenses to shoot in macro . With my alpha system , I have to carry a DT30mm F2.8 macro , a DT18 - 250mm F3.5 - 6.3 , a 50mm F1.4 and a 70 - 300G , to make sure I can handle everything that I may come across when I'm shooting out there . These lenses weigh more than 10 pounds combined . The HX1 weighs less than 2 pounds . So , if you're looking for a bridge camera with a mega zoom lens that does everything a super compact does but want manual control , this camera should be just perfect for you . It may not give you the best quality JPEGs , perhaps in a few more years Sony will fix that but for now , this superzoom is going to see alot of actions along with my DSLR than any of my super compacts . Pros : 1 ) Great zoom , 28mm to 560mm 2 ) Punchy colors , rich , deep , vivid tones 3 ) Manual controls like DSLRs 4 ) Compact camera features like smile detection , face detection , color tone controls , multiple scene selections . 5 ) Large 3 LCD display 6 ) Supersteady shot works to allow you to shoot at shuttle speed below 1 / 30 second . 7 ) Incredibly lightweight for such a powerful zoom camera . Cons : 1 ) Pictures tend to be noisy , but there's a noise reduction control ( 3 levels ) to suppress the noise . 2 ) Slow to start up , takes about 5 - 7 seconds . 3 ) Doesn't use AA , if you like the convenience , but the infolithium battery tells you exactly how many minutes you have before you need to recharge . 4 ) Continuous shooting limited to 10 frames per burst , then stops for like 17 seconds to store the images . 5 ) Limited DRO-plus usage , up to ISO 800 only . 6 ) No flash hot-shoe to use external flash .
    • 017 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) I have had this camera for two days and have experimented with it by taking over 250 pictures using both automatic and manual setting . I read on CNET review that this camera's photo quality is not that great . That is half true . The picture will not turn out sharp and clear if you always use automatic settings ; however , manual mode with the correct settings will result in dslr-like photo quality . You really have to manually adjust the settings if you want to have good quality pics . If you don't know what you're doing , I suggest you stick with the auto mode . Pros : 1 . above average shutter lag but definitely faster than the compact and ultra compact P & S digicams 2 . Manual settings is a big plus 3 . Zoom can be extended up to 32x when shooting on 5 megapixel 4 . Optical Stabilization works very well 5 . Flash is extremely powerful . You can take pictures in VERY LOW LIGHT situations , and produce a bright crisp pics 6 . 10 fps burst mode . There are options for 2 , 3 , and 5 FPS 7 . Anti-blur is superb 8 . Clear and crisp pictures when maxing out the zoom 9 . Very light and portable 10 . Good grip and excellent lens Cons : 1 . Macro is below average . My Panasonic tz3 and Sony T200 takes much better pics on macro mode 2 . Lens cap is flimsy 3 . Automatic ISO mode does not alway take good pictures 4 . You have to wait for 16 seocnds to take another shot when using the 10 fps burst mode 5 . LCD screen do not completely swivel 6 . It doesn't do my laundry I have not tested the HD video so I can't comment on it . Also , I am very much aware that this is not a dslr so I will not complain that it doesn't take good pictures like the DSLR'r or as fast . To do so would be idiotic , stupid , and ignorant . CONCLUSION : Get this camera if you know how to use the manual mode with the proper settings . You will be guaranteed to have excellent pictures . Stay away from this camera if you would only use the automatic mode as it would be such a waste of your hard earned money . I highly recommend Canon , Sony T series , and the newer Panasonic models for the photography-challenged . For the intermediate to advanced photography enthusiasts , this is an excellent second camera . It is light , portable , and have so many manual settings which would allow you to create amazing photo quality
    • 019 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics )
    • 020 4  I was looking for a camera as an upgrade from my Canon S3 IS . I did quite a bit of research ( read lots of review and looked at photos from the reviewers / users ) . This camera wasn't even on my radar until I read a review / top 5 list on [ . . . ] . After reading their review , I came to amazon's customer reviews and read them all , then looked at all the customer photos . Afterwards I went to my local Best Buy to get a hands-on feel . The camera felt sturdy in my hands and the grip was deep enough for my long fingers . I then tested out the zoom and macro - 2 features I use extensively . . . I was pleased with both . 3 days after I got the camera I used it for a 3 - day camping trip . I was impressed with the zoom and macro capabilities . There were only a few occasions when I couldn't get the lens to focus on a subject : once was a flower that was blowing in the breeze ( have the same problem with the S3 IS ) another time , while staying on the trail , the zoom was too much to focus where I wanted and the brush kept me from being able to go over and shoot macro . With that being said , the 10 - shots per second is fun to use , but those 10 - 20 sec . ( when writing to the disc ) does feel like an eternity . . . especially when you want to keep shooting a wildlife subject . Indoor shots ( outside of automatic setting ) take forever , though I did get a really cool low light photo of the inside of our RV with just the rope lights on ( had my elbows resting on the table ) . Putting the camera in Intelligent Auto Adjustment mode helps . I was standing in the kitchen at home and pointed the camera down a dark hallway and got a phenomenal shot , I also used that setting in my niece's hospital room as it always looks like twilight time in there ( my brother-in-law was impressed with the photos I was able to take ) . As for battery life , I always use the viewfinder ( except for some macro shots ) so that does help give more time . I love seeing how much time is left on the battery - I tried it with the LCD first , made a mental note of remaining time , then switched to viewfinder and gained about 10 min . If you're looking for a new digital camera , do your homework online and get a list together , then I highly recommend going to a store and trying out the different cameras you're looking at first . Check out how the camera feels in your hand , try out the zoom / macro modes and take some test shots . Then you can go back online and order your camera ( if you can wait that long : ) ) . * * 9 / 29 / 09 Update to battery info - I charged up the battery last night and put back in camera this morning . Turned it on ( LCD view ) battery showed 228 min . In less than 1 minute it showed 227 minutes . . . I switched to viewfinder and it showed I had 301 minutes left .
    • 022 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) I bought the DSC-HX1 as a companion to my DSLR , and it's a brilliant camera . The image quality in low light is great for a non-DSLR , and in good lighting conditions , the images require close examination to tell the difference . The video from the camera is amazing - my pictures of a hummingbird are very lifelike . The color reproduction is superb - the shimmering green of the bird against the bright red of the feeder is every bit as vivid as life , without being oversaturated . There is a simple little adapter which allows you to plug into a HDMI cable for viewing your pictures and video - very quick and easy . The low-light functions are like nothing I've ever seen in a consumer camera - using the speed of the imager to take multiple images and integrate them and reduce noise or blur . It's a technique commonly used in astronomy for imaging stars , but brought into practical everyday use . It works quite well in normal indoor lighting - allows you to take pictures without flash - and the associated shadows . It saves the gyrations of bouncing the flash , which is nice when you're just trying to capture the moment without drawing attention to yourself . It's also great when the venue prohibits flash photography . The articulating LCD screen is great for the low-angle and over-the-head shots . Battery life is good as well . I am very happy with this camera & am thinking about buying one for my dad .
    • 023 4  I bought the DSC-HX1 as a companion to my DSLR , and it's a brilliant camera . The image quality in low light is great for a non-DSLR , and in good lighting conditions , the images require close examination to tell the difference . The video from the camera is amazing - my pictures of a hummingbird are very lifelike . The color reproduction is superb - the shimmering green of the bird against the bright red of the feeder is every bit as vivid as life , without being oversaturated . There is a simple little adapter which allows you to plug into a HDMI cable for viewing your pictures and video - very quick and easy . The low-light functions are like nothing I've ever seen in a consumer camera - using the speed of the imager to take multiple images and integrate them and reduce noise or blur . It's a technique commonly used in astronomy for imaging stars , but brought into practical everyday use . It works quite well in normal indoor lighting - allows you to take pictures without flash - and the associated shadows . It saves the gyrations of bouncing the flash , which is nice when you're just trying to capture the moment without drawing attention to yourself . It's also great when the venue prohibits flash photography . The articulating LCD screen is great for the low-angle and over-the-head shots . Battery life is good as well . I am very happy with this camera & am thinking about buying one for my dad .
    • 025 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) Updated 06 / 2010 : I have this camera for right at a year now & it is still the best camera I have ever owned . I was actually looking to see if Sony had updated this camera or made a new one but in it's class - it seems to still be rocking the house . Look at the reviews ! The still quality is fantastic using either automatic or the programmable mode it just takes perfect pictures . I have been learning to use some of the other settings and how to take better pictures in bright sunlight or low light . The variety of scene modes is fantastic . The handheld twilight mode is a blast ! If you want to shoot an outdoors twilight scene handheld , this mode will take several rapid fire shots without using the flash and then combines / average them together instantly to give you a stunningly clear shot ! Wow ! The panorama mode is great but I have to remember to use it . It's super easy and you take the shot right on the camera , no software needed to process afterwards . You just put it in Pan mode and then follow the guides on the LCD for moving the camera left to right . You need to keep it level but it warns you if your movements are off . Probably the best thing about this camera is still it's ability to shoot HD 1080 res stabilized video ( mp4 format ) along with the perfect stills . That means you really don't need to carry two cameras any more . You can finally use 1 camera for your family vacations , parties , events etc . Plus you get to use the 20x optical zoom & stabilization for the video ! Holy cow right ? Plus you can easily switch between still and video to capture both easily . The adjustable LCD screen is also more handy than it sounds . You can pop the LCD off the back of the camera and pull it out and tilt it up and down . This lets you get shots or video you normally would not . Just this weekend I was shooting some video of a graduation and the people in front of me were standing up . I stuck the camera up as high as I could , swiveled the big 3in LCD down towards me and I was able to shoot great video . Works the same for shooting from a lower angle also . I am sure there are better , more expensive cameras out there . I am not a pro photog - but I do want stunning quality pics and video & the ability shoot under a lot of different conditions . This camera gives me both in a simple , easy to use rig . Also , it has an easy shooting mode so I can hand it to someone to use . - - - - - I am not a pro photog but my iphoto library is over 18,000 images of family & travel pics . So , when it comes to digital photography , I have been there since day 1 . I have friends who buy the $2500 digital camera , thats not for me . I want a camera in the sub $500 range as I know I will be buying a newer one in a few years . What impressed me about this camera frankly is the HD video capabilities . Speaking to the Dad's out there , you know the drill . You go on vacation or some event and you want to shoot stills and video . So that means you lug both the still camera & the video camera . You are constantly swapping cameras to get both stills & video and that means you're also lugging around both power adapters or batteries & related media . You cease to become part of the vacation and become the official photographer . You end up behind the camera and not in front of it . Enter the Sony Cybershot DSC-HX1 9MP , this baby shoots exceptional still photos and also HD video on the same media card ( so get a big one ) . If you set the video to Fine quality , you get gorgeous wonderful HD video you can edit or burn to DVD . And now you have cut your gear in half . I think the camera is applying image stabilization to the video but you still need to hold it pretty steady . It also sports a stereo to capture amazing audio quality . The camera features are stunning also , the panorama mode is endless fun , the twilight setting is luscious and the easy mode is great for when you must reluctantly hand the camera over to someone else to shoot pics . There are plenty of detailed reviews for this camera and all give it a very good score . Will this rival a dedicated camcorder ? Not in features but the image quality is great . If you want gorgeous stills and also the ability to capture a modicum of HD video , this is the camera for you . I took it to the beach last week and it was great to finally carry just 1 camera . Small note , for the last few models ( and this one ) Sony has been using this miracle of a battery charger . No longer do you get this huge awkward battery charger & cable nightmare - you get this tiny , deck of card sized charger that you put the battery into and plug right into a wall socket . I can't tell you how great this for travel . Former sony cameras came with this enormous charger and cable that was twice the weight of the camera itself .
    • 026 4  Updated 06 / 2010 : I have this camera for right at a year now & it is still the best camera I have ever owned . I was actually looking to see if Sony had updated this camera or made a new one but in it's class - it seems to still be rocking the house . Look at the reviews ! The still quality is fantastic using either automatic or the programmable mode it just takes perfect pictures . I have been learning to use some of the other settings and how to take better pictures in bright sunlight or low light . The variety of scene modes is fantastic . The handheld twilight mode is a blast ! If you want to shoot an outdoors twilight scene handheld , this mode will take several rapid fire shots without using the flash and then combines / average them together instantly to give you a stunningly clear shot ! Wow ! The panorama mode is great but I have to remember to use it . It's super easy and you take the shot right on the camera , no software needed to process afterwards . You just put it in Pan mode and then follow the guides on the LCD for moving the camera left to right . You need to keep it level but it warns you if your movements are off . Probably the best thing about this camera is still it's ability to shoot HD 1080 res stabilized video ( mp4 format ) along with the perfect stills . That means you really don't need to carry two cameras any more . You can finally use 1 camera for your family vacations , parties , events etc . Plus you get to use the 20x optical zoom & stabilization for the video ! Holy cow right ? Plus you can easily switch between still and video to capture both easily . The adjustable LCD screen is also more handy than it sounds . You can pop the LCD off the back of the camera and pull it out and tilt it up and down . This lets you get shots or video you normally would not . Just this weekend I was shooting some video of a graduation and the people in front of me were standing up . I stuck the camera up as high as I could , swiveled the big 3in LCD down towards me and I was able to shoot great video . Works the same for shooting from a lower angle also . I am sure there are better , more expensive cameras out there . I am not a pro photog - but I do want stunning quality pics and video & the ability shoot under a lot of different conditions . This camera gives me both in a simple , easy to use rig . Also , it has an easy shooting mode so I can hand it to someone to use . - - - - - I am not a pro photog but my iphoto library is over 18,000 images of family & travel pics . So , when it comes to digital photography , I have been there since day 1 . I have friends who buy the $2500 digital camera , thats not for me . I want a camera in the sub $500 range as I know I will be buying a newer one in a few years . What impressed me about this camera frankly is the HD video capabilities . Speaking to the Dad's out there , you know the drill . You go on vacation or some event and you want to shoot stills and video . So that means you lug both the still camera & the video camera . You are constantly swapping cameras to get both stills & video and that means you're also lugging around both power adapters or batteries & related media . You cease to become part of the vacation and become the official photographer . You end up behind the camera and not in front of it . Enter the Sony Cybershot DSC-HX1 9MP , this baby shoots exceptional still photos and also HD video on the same media card ( so get a big one ) . If you set the video to Fine quality , you get gorgeous wonderful HD video you can edit or burn to DVD . And now you have cut your gear in half . I think the camera is applying image stabilization to the video but you still need to hold it pretty steady . It also sports a stereo to capture amazing audio quality . The camera features are stunning also , the panorama mode is endless fun , the twilight setting is luscious and the easy mode is great for when you must reluctantly hand the camera over to someone else to shoot pics . There are plenty of detailed reviews for this camera and all give it a very good score . Will this rival a dedicated camcorder ? Not in features but the image quality is great . If you want gorgeous stills and also the ability to capture a modicum of HD video , this is the camera for you . I took it to the beach last week and it was great to finally carry just 1 camera . Small note , for the last few models ( and this one ) Sony has been using this miracle of a battery charger . No longer do you get this huge awkward battery charger & cable nightmare - you get this tiny , deck of card sized charger that you put the battery into and plug right into a wall socket . I can't tell you how great this for travel . Former sony cameras came with this enormous charger and cable that was twice the weight of the camera itself .
    • 027 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) I have had this camera for a few weeks now and like it very much . I am not going to write a technical review , because those that would understand it can interpret the data for themselves . This is a simple review for a single camera that can be used by the advanced photographer and still hand it over to you wife or kids and still get a great picture . This is truly a family camera . Let me say that it never stops to amaze me how far technology has come . Having said that lets look at some of the less known feature . 1 - In camera editing . You can change a frown to a smile , a blur to a sharp image . Mix back and white with some color elements in the same picture and shoot with a fish eye lens effect if you want and you don't need the lens . All this and much more and it's easy to use . 2 - Ten pictures a second . If you have owned a digital camera , you know how slow it can be between pictures when you are trying to catch you granddaughter running about . In low light it takes multiple pictures and combines the best elements of each to give you one good image . In portrait mode it will give you a warning on the screen if the person blinks when the shutter is snapped or will take two picture when set and keep the best one . It will wait to take the picture until someone smiles and much more . The results are stunning the technology amazing . 3 - Wide angle to telephoto with a small camera body and lens . 4 - Scene selection works like a charm . Backlight , front light , no light , portrait or landscape it sees and selects the best setting and fill flash if needed . The amature can get excellent results in the worst of conditions . Want to do it yourself , switch to manual mode . Hope this peaks your interest . I could go on for pages , but this is a great camera at a great price . I would recommend it and I have owned some of the best . This camera is fun and it allows you to focus on your subject and forget about the tech stuff . OK , some additional information . I just returned from a trip to Europe and took over 700 pictures . I have to say as a point and shoot camera , it has given me some of the best pictures I have ever taken . LOW Light - Again , no tech speak . I found some carved statues in a dark corner of a cathedral . It was so dark I almost walked past them if not for a flash light glimmer from a tour guide . With no flash allowed , I set the camera to low light , steady hand held mode and shot the picture . In this mode the camera shoots 5 fast pictures and the internal processor makes a composite picture from the 5 shots . The results are astounding ! The pictures are rendered with natural light and are as clear and sharp as day . I used this feature over and over again with outstanding and dynamic results every time . Pan Pictures - Given the wide street pictures and tall cathedrals it is very hard to compose pictures with a standard lens and not cut off buildings and towers . The 270 degree pan mode gave me incredible pictures of street scenes and buildings that would have been lost in the translation of single images . Please not that there is some distortion as you pan across the scene in some applications , but the effect is not objectionable and in some cases added to the dynamics of the photo . In short , this is the best camera I have ever owned for this kind of work providing professional results with little or no effort . Buy one and have a ball . . .
    • 029 4  Before I had this camera , I had a point and shoot compact - the Hewlett-Packard R607 . After time , I noticed that I desired more of my photos . My photos lacked depth of field , vibrance , resolution , and detail . I started reading about photography and associated terms such as aperture value , shutter speed , ISO , exposure , white balance , and metering . I quickly learned the basics of photography by visiting a few websites and determined that the camera I had wouldn't hack it for me anymore . I researched a number of cameras and landed at a review site that previewed this camera . I compared it with some of the competition , noting that the Sony DSC-HX1 has some amazing features such as the hand-held twilight mode , anti-motion blur , sweep panorama mode , 10fps continuous shooting , and rechargeable batteries ( would you believe some of the competitors use AA's ) . After a lot of reading and debating , I decided on the DSC-HX1 . In regards to the sweep-panorama mode : It works fantastically , both during the day and at night . The video is smooth and a high enough quality to please the eye . This is , of course , an upgrade for me from 640 x 480 resolution video . As I moved the camera in tight on subjects , zoom or not , I immediately noticed the Optical SteadyShot image stabalization working remarkably to make my video look steady and professional-like . No tripod needed here . I took the DSC-HX1 to a Killers concert where I was far enough away that I need 15 - 20x zoom if I wanted to get tight shots on the band members . With proper camera holding posture ( keeping it tight to my chest and using the digital viewfinder ) and the SteadyShot , I was able to pull off some video that would not have been remotely possible with my limmited-zoom , no stability , HP camera . The image quality is what you would expect from a bridge-camera . The camera's CMOS sensor capture daylight pictures with remarkable vibrance and detail appropriate to this camera's market . Night shots at ISO 100 - 200 given appropriate lighting look great . Night shots and darker indoor shots at ISO 400 - 800 show a degree of noise that you would expect from a sensor of this size . I have often found myself adjusting my aperture and shutter values to allow me to use ISO 400 vice ISO 800 if at all possible . I have not had to use ISO 1600 or 3200 manually yet - so I can't vouch for them , but I would venture to say they should only be used if it is absolutely necessary . I have not yet tested the hand-held twilight mode or anti-motion blur modes yet . When I do , I will edit this review . Battery life is stupendous . It is far superior to my HP camera and I far prefer taking the battery out and plugging it into the wall . The charger for the batter is small enough to fit into the small side pocket of my camera bag . It beats having to carry around a charger . The articulating LCD screen is bright , clear , and reveals enough detail to make a good judgment of the composition of your photo . Only under direct bright sunlight is it difficult to see . If this is the case , simply switch to the digital viewfinder . The viewfinder is useful in high-light situations or when keeping the camera close to your chest to maximize your steady shot . I can't say that it is as good as the viewfinder that you'll find in a DSLR and as a result , would submit that you only use it if you need to . The good thing is , that you can correct the focus of the image in the viewfinder via an adjustment wheel on the housing . The burst shot mode is great . At 10 , 5 , or 2 FPS , you can stop motion in time and catch those special moments . Beware though , that after you've released the shutter button of you've captured 10 pictures , the camera must pause to write these files from buffer to the memory card . This might be a show stopper for some who are not sure when precisely that special moment will occur . You will have to allow time for the camera to catch up with writing the images to the memory card . The camera does , of course , weight more than your typical compact , but less than a DSLR . It's portable enough and weighs little enough that it doesn't strain the neck when worn for prolonged amounts of time . I've worn it for 3 - 4 hours and felt little discomfort if any . For the price , I feel it's a great camera . There are a lot of compact cameras that cost nearly as much and have only half the power , speed , and capability . All things considered , I think this is a great camera for someone who wants great capability without the bulk and weight of a DSLR , and is willing to work within the confines of the camera itself with few customizing accessories available .
    • 033 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) let me tell everybody that I started the world of photography with Hasselblad and Nikon F4s.so I'm pretty familiar with all the functions of a pro camera.Here , I don't want to mention all the features of this fantastic camera.those who own it , already have mentioned almost all of it.so it's useless to repeat again.just I want to tell those who are thinking about buying a camera , there's ABSOLUTELY no camera in the world with these features and in this price range.believe me everybody , I would gladly pay thousand for such a great technology.and dear world of camera manufacturers ! Hats off indeedd ! ! !
    • 035 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) I didn't have this camera on my radar initially . I'm wary of Sony cameras after my first digital camera , a small Sony Cybershot ( DSC-W70 ) I'd bought a few years ago suddenly stopped working about a year after I'd bought it . After that came another slim $100 - $200 price range camera which I had a for a few years . I finally decided to move up in this world and move to a bridge camera - ie . the range of cameras between the small point and shoot on one end and the full blown SLRs on the other end . I decided to try a Canon , since a friend of mine has a Canon Powershot which takes amazing pictures . The Canon SX10IS had good reviews for a camera in this range and so going by reviews ( and some impatience ) I went ahead and bought it online . Then while tracking the order on Amazon , i came across the Sony HX1 - it costed $60 more than the Canon , but it had everything the Canon had and more . . . I was intrigued by the reviews and the features like Panorama and burst ( which the Canon SX10 does not have ) and so I canceled the order for the Canon and went into Best Buy the next day to compare the two side by side before I settled on the Sony HX1 . A humble note on buying a camera here - I think its absolutely essential to go into a Fry's or Best Buy's and pickup and play around with the display model of a camera you have your eye on ( and then go online and buy it for less , hehe ) . For example , the screen of the Canon SX10 IS is about a half inch smaller than the screen of the Sony HX1 . I didn't think that to be a big deal while reading reviews and comparing the two , but in the store when I compared the Canon SX10 and Sony HX1 side by side , that extra half inch on the screen just made a heck of a lot of difference to the whole photo taking experience . The only feature where the Canon SX10 outdoes the Sony is the MegaPixels , the Canon SX10 IS is 12.1 while this camera is 9.1 . Note that even when shooting with the resolution set to 9.1 MP , the file size is about 4 - 5 Mb . Thats a heck of a lot of space on my hard drive for a photo and so mainly for this reason , I probably won't be using a Camera on a setting of more than 5 or 6 MP for most every day shooting , and therefore the extra 3 MegaPixels that the Canon offered didn't mean a great deal to me . Another observation from my experience . When choosing a camera , I think its important to keep in mind what features of a Camera are important to YOU . What would you care about most in the camera . A good zoom ? Ability to shoot movies in 1080 HD ? Burst mode ? Are you partial to a particular brand ? etc . . . In this regard , I found that what I cared about in a might-purchase camera was 1 ) Good user reviews on pictures taken in the Auto and Scene modes 2 ) At least 20X zoom 3 ) Ability to shoot movies in 1080p HD . Once you have settled on a few parameters you care about , then the process of drilling down becomes very easy . Go to the main camera section of the site on Amazon and with the search menu on the left , you can start selecting parameters one at a time ( price , zoom , brand , etc . ) , so as to drill down from the 1000 + cameras to three or four . For me , my drill-down search yielded the Canon SX10 and the Sony HX1 ( and another Nikon and Olympus ) . The Sony won because for my search , in addition to having everything I wanted , and good reviews , it also had the extra features like panorama and burst that the Canon didn't have , plus screen size . I forget why I ruled out the Olympus , and the Nikon didn't make it because it didn't shoot movies . So since I've given this camera 5 stars , heres what I like most about the it . 1 ) Great pictures * 2 ) Extremely easy to use menu - very intuitively designed 3 ) The zoom is quick 4 ) Ergonomic design of the body - the placement of buttons and the feel of the camera is good 5 ) Love the panorama and burst modes - as other reviewers have mentioned , the panorama mode works very easily and the photo comes out accurate - no mismatch or jagged stitches . * I'm still very new to this camera . I've taken about a 100 pictures so far , indoors and outdoors . The outdoor shots in good lighting are all excellent . I've yet to form an opinion on the indoor shots since I haven't taken that many yet . I will keep updating this review as I learn more about this camera . I also discovered that there's a Facebook group for this camera , to which people post their queries etc . With this camera I hope to explore the basics of photography and move out of the Auto mode and actually start fooling around with the ISO , aperture and shutter speed settings etc . Other reviewers have mentioned that if you know how to pull those levers skillfully , you can do most of the stuff you can do with an SLR on this camera . I hope this review helps you in your search . Good Luck ! I have also posted some photos I've taken with this camera . Update - March 22nd 2010 : I've now owned this camera for a few months and have taken lots of pictures . Everything I said above still holds good except for one small thing I've noticed which other folks have mentioned . On the auto ( intelligent ) mode , a lot of the times you do get the feeling that the pictures are a little over-processed - the pictures sometime look more colorful than the reality . While some folks may like this , I feel a bit deceived . Sometimes ( particularly for indoor photos taken without the flash ) , the background light is overcompensated . No doubt all this is in the auto mode and may also happen on other cameras , but I thought its worth a mention . All in all for the other reasons mentioned , I still like the camera and would not have chosen differently if I could go back in time to when I bought this camera . And although I mentioned this in the original review , I have to say it again . The panorama mode is AWESOME , its just offf the friggin chain . . . I've taken some stunning pictures of the panoramas of Northern California with this mode .
    • 036 4  I didn't have this camera on my radar initially . I'm wary of Sony cameras after my first digital camera , a small Sony Cybershot ( DSC-W70 ) I'd bought a few years ago suddenly stopped working about a year after I'd bought it . After that came another slim $100 - $200 price range camera which I had a for a few years . I finally decided to move up in this world and move to a bridge camera - ie . the range of cameras between the small point and shoot on one end and the full blown SLRs on the other end . I decided to try a Canon , since a friend of mine has a Canon Powershot which takes amazing pictures . The Canon SX10IS had good reviews for a camera in this range and so going by reviews ( and some impatience ) I went ahead and bought it online . Then while tracking the order on Amazon , i came across the Sony HX1 - it costed $60 more than the Canon , but it had everything the Canon had and more . . . I was intrigued by the reviews and the features like Panorama and burst ( which the Canon SX10 does not have ) and so I canceled the order for the Canon and went into Best Buy the next day to compare the two side by side before I settled on the Sony HX1 . A humble note on buying a camera here - I think its absolutely essential to go into a Fry's or Best Buy's and pickup and play around with the display model of a camera you have your eye on ( and then go online and buy it for less , hehe ) . For example , the screen of the Canon SX10 IS is about a half inch smaller than the screen of the Sony HX1 . I didn't think that to be a big deal while reading reviews and comparing the two , but in the store when I compared the Canon SX10 and Sony HX1 side by side , that extra half inch on the screen just made a heck of a lot of difference to the whole photo taking experience . The only feature where the Canon SX10 outdoes the Sony is the MegaPixels , the Canon SX10 IS is 12.1 while this camera is 9.1 . Note that even when shooting with the resolution set to 9.1 MP , the file size is about 4 - 5 Mb . Thats a heck of a lot of space on my hard drive for a photo and so mainly for this reason , I probably won't be using a Camera on a setting of more than 5 or 6 MP for most every day shooting , and therefore the extra 3 MegaPixels that the Canon offered didn't mean a great deal to me . Another observation from my experience . When choosing a camera , I think its important to keep in mind what features of a Camera are important to YOU . What would you care about most in the camera . A good zoom ? Ability to shoot movies in 1080 HD ? Burst mode ? Are you partial to a particular brand ? etc . . . In this regard , I found that what I cared about in a might-purchase camera was 1 ) Good user reviews on pictures taken in the Auto and Scene modes 2 ) At least 20X zoom 3 ) Ability to shoot movies in 1080p HD . Once you have settled on a few parameters you care about , then the process of drilling down becomes very easy . Go to the main camera section of the site on Amazon and with the search menu on the left , you can start selecting parameters one at a time ( price , zoom , brand , etc . ) , so as to drill down from the 1000 + cameras to three or four . For me , my drill-down search yielded the Canon SX10 and the Sony HX1 ( and another Nikon and Olympus ) . The Sony won because for my search , in addition to having everything I wanted , and good reviews , it also had the extra features like panorama and burst that the Canon didn't have , plus screen size . I forget why I ruled out the Olympus , and the Nikon didn't make it because it didn't shoot movies . So since I've given this camera 5 stars , heres what I like most about the it . 1 ) Great pictures * 2 ) Extremely easy to use menu - very intuitively designed 3 ) The zoom is quick 4 ) Ergonomic design of the body - the placement of buttons and the feel of the camera is good 5 ) Love the panorama and burst modes - as other reviewers have mentioned , the panorama mode works very easily and the photo comes out accurate - no mismatch or jagged stitches . * I'm still very new to this camera . I've taken about a 100 pictures so far , indoors and outdoors . The outdoor shots in good lighting are all excellent . I've yet to form an opinion on the indoor shots since I haven't taken that many yet . I will keep updating this review as I learn more about this camera . I also discovered that there's a Facebook group for this camera , to which people post their queries etc . With this camera I hope to explore the basics of photography and move out of the Auto mode and actually start fooling around with the ISO , aperture and shutter speed settings etc . Other reviewers have mentioned that if you know how to pull those levers skillfully , you can do most of the stuff you can do with an SLR on this camera . I hope this review helps you in your search . Good Luck ! I have also posted some photos I've taken with this camera . Update - March 22nd 2010 : I've now owned this camera for a few months and have taken lots of pictures . Everything I said above still holds good except for one small thing I've noticed which other folks have mentioned . On the auto ( intelligent ) mode , a lot of the times you do get the feeling that the pictures are a little over-processed - the pictures sometime look more colorful than the reality . While some folks may like this , I feel a bit deceived . Sometimes ( particularly for indoor photos taken without the flash ) , the background light is overcompensated . No doubt all this is in the auto mode and may also happen on other cameras , but I thought its worth a mention . All in all for the other reasons mentioned , I still like the camera and would not have chosen differently if I could go back in time to when I bought this camera . And although I mentioned this in the original review , I have to say it again . The panorama mode is AWESOME , its just offf the friggin chain . . . I've taken some stunning pictures of the panoramas of Northern California with this mode .
    • 039 4  After much deliberation , I bought this camera after trying to decide between the HX1 and the Canon SX1 and some others . The features that brought me over were the sweep panorama , 10 shots per second burst mode , and the other reviewers who seemed to say that the image quality between the HX1 and the SX1 were not that much different . Also , I got the HX1 for about $50 less probably ( or more ) . Now to just say where I am coming from , I've owned Sony DSC-H1 for the past 4 years , and that camera has been excellent and printed out great 4x6 ' s and 8x10 ' s . So I was just looking for a camera that would have HD video and also take at least as good pictures as the H1 . The HX1 does the trick , let me tell you . ( That X makes all the difference ! ) The color is really nice , the pictures come out very well even at high zooms . Speaking of zoom , the 20x is amazing ! It just keeps bringing objects closer and closer . Comparing them to my old H1 pictures , they are definitely better . Whether they are as good as the SX1 or other similar cameras , I cannot say . As to people who have been comparing this camera to a DSLR , this camera is not a DSLR ! It will not take that kind of DSLR quality photo ! Go buy a DSLR if you want that . What this camera does do like a DSLR is have absolutely no shutter delay , ( once it is focused ) which is great for shooting sports games and such . The burst mode works excellent and really does take 10 a second , though it does take a bit to load them onto the memory card , about 15 seconds probably which doesn't seem that long when you are actually shooting photos . The panorama mode works as advertised , and can take some extremely wide shots with the wide panorama mode . The quality seems to be pretty good , though sometimes you can see the stitching . At the very least , it is a lot of fun to use . The low light mode works well , though the pictures do tend to become a bit noisy , so I will not be making any poster size prints of those . The LCD screen is very large and very nice quality and I am still able to see it even in bright sunlight . It can detach and be moved at basically an angle ( up or down ) relative to the camera , though it cannot be moved side to side . The menus are fairly easy to navigate and I think are pretty self explanatory , though there is a manual for explaining each mode if necessary . I actually really like how the menus are laid out . The HD video is great quality as is the stereo sound that goes along with it ( but does tend to have wind noise ) . The play back on the computer was good and yes there was some image tearing but it did not seem to be nearly as bad as some sample movies I had downloaded . I filmed a lacrosse game and it came out great . The HD video also looks awesome connecting it directly to an HDTV , and that was with me several year old 1080i HDTV so I was not even technically seeing it at full quality . Image tearing is barely noticeable when viewed that way . The pictures themselves also look great when connected directly to an HDTV . Lastly , as far as I know you can't put AA's or that type of battery in the HX1 as it only takes a rechargeable battery pack , ( which is good and all for the env . ) so this is a problem only if you were say , heading into the mountains for a month . If anyone knows of solutions to this I'd be glad to hear them . Lastly I recommend turning off the beeping noises . They're slightly annoying . So summing up , here's a quick list of pros and cons : Pros : - Great upgrade over previous dsc models , especially if you haven't got one in awhile - Excellent zooming capabilities - Good color - HD video comes out well , especially on an HDTV - Large screen - Easy to navigate menus - Manual Options - The features such as panorama and low light shooting mode work well - Seemingly no or very miniscule shutter delay once focused - Burst mode = awesomeness . Just wait to you hear the clickclickclickclick - Relatively compact for the zoom power , but def won't fit in your pocket - You'll like it if you've liked previous DSC / Sony models Cons : - Can sometimes see slight stitching in panoramas - Memory sticks are expensive - Seems to only take a rechargeable battery pack , no AA option if needed So yeah , I think it is a great camera-but that's just me . . .
    • 040 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) This is just a quickie with the camera straight out of the box . I'll update the stars later . ( Updated March 11 , 2010 ) 1 . It takes a trained monkey to attach the lens cover to the camera so it doesn't fly off into the wilderness . First you get a thin paper clip and make it into a straight wire with a long narrow hook at one end . Insert the hook through the tiny eyelet in the attaching cord , then pull both strands of the cord through the eyelet to make a loop . Run the free end of the loop through the tiny little attaching point on the camera lens and pull the first loop through the loop just threaded to attach the cord to the lens . Next , undo the strap on the left side of the camera and thread the strap through the first big loop between the buckle and the camera body . Reattach the strap through the buckle . Now the lens cap may jump off every time you turn the camera on , but it won't go very far because it is captured . 2 . I have had a lot of experience with Sony Cybershots , but the new economy has caught up with me . This is the first one that didn't come with an undersized memory stick . What it came with is a grossly undersized internal memory . Buy a stick if you want to test the camera out of the box ( 4 GB is supposed hold 800 of the biggest pictures ) . Update : 3 . Things you aren't supposed to do with this camera : let it get hot ( plastic may warp ) , let it get cold ( no snow below 32F ) , let it get wet ( not splash proof ) , drop the battery ( may explode ) , take it to the beach ( no sand ) . The list is much longer , but you get the idea . Gone are the days when you could drop a camera body into a manure spreader and shake it out and continue photographing . 4 . I've made a few pictures with the DSC-HX1 on long telephoto . This is a dull cloudy day , and the lighting is relatively flat , but the detail is nice and sharp when enlarged to 8X10 prints . The DSLRs are potentially better , but I never could accept the responsiblity of keeping up with a 500 mm : f / 5.2 lens for the DSLR . I have an 18 mm f / 3.5 , but it cost as much as the DSLR body and barely equals 28MM effective , whereas the DSC-HX1 has a 28 mm : f / 2.8 equivalent built into the 500 mm f / 5.2 telephoto . A tradeoff's a tradeoff . 5 . Update March 11 , 2010 . Shot some more long telephotos but in the rain this time ( the subject , not the camera ) . Subject was about 20 ft from camera . Brilliant Red , really three dimensional whites , and true mottled greens . Just like the book said : A rainy day really makes the colors jump out .
    • 041 4  This is just a quickie with the camera straight out of the box . I'll update the stars later . ( Updated March 11 , 2010 ) 1 . It takes a trained monkey to attach the lens cover to the camera so it doesn't fly off into the wilderness . First you get a thin paper clip and make it into a straight wire with a long narrow hook at one end . Insert the hook through the tiny eyelet in the attaching cord , then pull both strands of the cord through the eyelet to make a loop . Run the free end of the loop through the tiny little attaching point on the camera lens and pull the first loop through the loop just threaded to attach the cord to the lens . Next , undo the strap on the left side of the camera and thread the strap through the first big loop between the buckle and the camera body . Reattach the strap through the buckle . Now the lens cap may jump off every time you turn the camera on , but it won't go very far because it is captured . 2 . I have had a lot of experience with Sony Cybershots , but the new economy has caught up with me . This is the first one that didn't come with an undersized memory stick . What it came with is a grossly undersized internal memory . Buy a stick if you want to test the camera out of the box ( 4 GB is supposed hold 800 of the biggest pictures ) . Update : 3 . Things you aren't supposed to do with this camera : let it get hot ( plastic may warp ) , let it get cold ( no snow below 32F ) , let it get wet ( not splash proof ) , drop the battery ( may explode ) , take it to the beach ( no sand ) . The list is much longer , but you get the idea . Gone are the days when you could drop a camera body into a manure spreader and shake it out and continue photographing . 4 . I've made a few pictures with the DSC-HX1 on long telephoto . This is a dull cloudy day , and the lighting is relatively flat , but the detail is nice and sharp when enlarged to 8X10 prints . The DSLRs are potentially better , but I never could accept the responsiblity of keeping up with a 500 mm : f / 5.2 lens for the DSLR . I have an 18 mm f / 3.5 , but it cost as much as the DSLR body and barely equals 28MM effective , whereas the DSC-HX1 has a 28 mm : f / 2.8 equivalent built into the 500 mm f / 5.2 telephoto . A tradeoff's a tradeoff . 5 . Update March 11 , 2010 . Shot some more long telephotos but in the rain this time ( the subject , not the camera ) . Subject was about 20 ft from camera . Brilliant Red , really three dimensional whites , and true mottled greens . Just like the book said : A rainy day really makes the colors jump out .
    • 047 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) I think this camera is the best in its class . Before this I had dsc-h9 which has excellent image quality.Almost a year I've been using A350 DSLR ( with tamron70 - 300 lens ) . if you got bored carrying heavy dslr bags with heavy lenses , this is for you . Very sexy black construction . it is not heavy . Battery is ok . Perfect for travelling . In low light conditions you don't even need a tripod . Just hold it close to your body and use tilt function of lcd . I wish hx1 had carlzeiss optic and remote control .
    • 051 4  Taking both a movie and still camera to any activity is a pain and you never have the right camera at the ready . The Sony DSC-HX1 is an almost perfect camera for having both HD movie and high quality stills in one body . The movies are great quality and indistinguishable from my Sony HD movie camera . The still pictures are excellent except in very low light with out the flash . The Flash coverage is very good . The Panorama mode is spectacular and unusual . The lag time from pressing shutter button to when a still is taken is minimal and you dont miss shots because of lag time . The LCD is big and bright and angles nicely but is useless outdoors in the sun . However the viewfinder is adequate in these situations although it lacks detail . The wide angle of 28mm equivalent makes shooting indoors easy and the zoom range is just awesome and over 400mm . And the quality appears to be the same across the entire zoom range . The different scene modes work - the high speed action mode is great . It anticipates movement and adjust focus accordingly . I also purchased the telephoto auxiliary lens and took pictures and video at a NASCAR race in Dover that had cars on the other side of the track in full frame . Battery life is excellent - practically it just goes and goes . The 10 shots in a second mode ( or 5 or 2 ) works very well - although it takes a few seconds to empty the buffer to the memory card . I love the size . I am used to carrying an SLR and a Movie Camera . This camera has replaced both and with no accessories except a charger , it is a delight to carry . The audio quality in video mode is good and there is no camera noise in the background . Things I would like to see improved - Better screen in direct sunlight . Less expensive memory cards . Better natural / low light performance . In good lighting the stills just pop with sharpness , clarity , and color . In low light they are less sharp and are a little muddy . The zoom speed is fairly slow and and small adjustments to the zoom are imprecise . This is a really good photographic appliance that has few compromises in either its video or still mode .
    • 052 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) I have been looking for a camera ( e.g . , the Sony DSC-HX1 ) for a long , long time . The camera's versitility is fantastic : HD quality videos , stereo sound recording , 20x optical zoom , in-camera panorama shots ( wonderful ) , low-light , hand held shots and steady shots ( camera takes rapid fire up to 6 shorts , interpolates and provides you with the best composite ) . I am the photographer for a musical choral group in Mexico ( Los Cantantes del Lago ) . They perform in some hard to photograph areas . . . with strange lighting , low lighting , etc . I needed ONE camera ( vs . 2 - 3 ) to achieve what the DSC-HX1 has now done . Currently , I also own a Sony a100 DSLR . Yes , there are differences between the cameras , however most of the photos I take will be used for advertising , local reporting , web uploading , and with some individual photos . This camera has addressed my needs and in ONE camera . I couldn't be more pleased overall . Of course , there's always more that I would like ; such as having the camera go into a standy mode vs . turning off after a certain wait period .
    • 053 4  I have been looking for a camera ( e.g . , the Sony DSC-HX1 ) for a long , long time . The camera's versitility is fantastic : HD quality videos , stereo sound recording , 20x optical zoom , in-camera panorama shots ( wonderful ) , low-light , hand held shots and steady shots ( camera takes rapid fire up to 6 shorts , interpolates and provides you with the best composite ) . I am the photographer for a musical choral group in Mexico ( Los Cantantes del Lago ) . They perform in some hard to photograph areas . . . with strange lighting , low lighting , etc . I needed ONE camera ( vs . 2 - 3 ) to achieve what the DSC-HX1 has now done . Currently , I also own a Sony a100 DSLR . Yes , there are differences between the cameras , however most of the photos I take will be used for advertising , local reporting , web uploading , and with some individual photos . This camera has addressed my needs and in ONE camera . I couldn't be more pleased overall . Of course , there's always more that I would like ; such as having the camera go into a standy mode vs . turning off after a certain wait period .
    • 054 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) I have had this camera 10 days of vacation with family and friends . I mostly use the ' iPhoto ' setting where the camera does everything . Not only can it focus on faces , it distinguishes children from adult faces ! Anti shake worked great , so one handed quick snaps of the kids playing worked greaH . My close-up focus used to be chancy , but this automatic macro zoom worked great , even for video . Excellent auto adjustment for backlight , including fill in flash . Problem : a 100 ft long replica of Henry Hudson's ship the half moon - - Solution : use the panorama setting where it stitches the photoes together for you in the camera . Problem : my kids halfway up a 300 ft cliff : again the vertical panorama . I wanted to take archive pictures of some B & W family photos from the 1930s . Problem : the flash or ambient light caused reflections off the glossy surface . Solution : The low-light-no-flash anti-shake setting took 5 quick pics and merged the results . They look better than the originals ! Suggestions : buy the memory card ! There is not much built-in . Otherwise you cannot take much hi-def . I stopped in a Radio Shack and got 8GB for $35 . Buy the case ! I did not and was worried about damage . An extra battery also would not hurt . For those who want artistic control , There are various manual settings - - not what I needed . I feel this camera has a lot more for me to discover . Cons : the screen is always exposed so fingerprints abound . It only has a very limited rotation , and seems fragile . I would have preferred one like my old Cannon which can be roatated closed and is sturdy . [ one reviewer claimed the camera opened and popped the lens cap even in review mode , but that did not happen for me . ] So far no regrets !
    • 057 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) I recently purchased the HX1 after returning a defective Nikon P100 . I was a little hesitant to basically trade in a brand new model for a year-old one , but I was impressed by reviews and some of the features available on this camera . It turns out that I made a great decision . In most cases the image quality is very good . Yes , it does suffer from low light noise , but don't all point and shoot cameras ? The pictures generally come out very sharp and vibrant , and they look great when printed . The zoom on this camera is only 20x vs the P100 26x , and the difference is noticable . But it's also noticable that images are still sharp at maximum zoom , unlike the P100 which always looked very soft at its maximum zoom . I gladly give up the little extra zoom for the quality of the pictures . Also , do not be scared off by the rather low 9 megapixels . If you are not making posters , this is plenty . I am still able to crop relatively small areas of an image to a 4x6 print and have the results look decent . The features offered on this camera are impressive . The stitch panarama is pretty amazing and the results look surprisingly good . Like most other cameras in this class , there is an intelligent auto mode . But the difference is that it actually works really well on this camera ( I had terrible luck in auto mode on the p100 and especially the p90 and always had to use P / A / S ) . For portraits though , definitely switch to A mode and adjust the aperture accordingly . Burst mode works great for capturing just the right moment , provided the lighting is good ( no flash in this mode ) . Hand-held twilight also works great . It's amazing what the camera can do in this mode with very little light . The images in this mode won't be perfect by any means , but it makes it possible to get shots that otherwise just could not be captured . Also note that the battery life on this camera is excellent . The display also does a great job of telling you how much battery life is left , providing not just a battery fill icon but also a minutes remaining counter . The video quality is pretty good for a p & s camera , but I still slighly prefer what I get from my Vado . Of course the HX1 wins out overall because of the zoom and all-in-one convenience . My main gripe with this camera is that it takes memory stick pro duo cards instead of the more universal SD card , but that comes with the territory if you buy Sony . Also , the menu sound is obnoxiously loud , even on the quieter setting . I keep it off except for the shutter click . These are just minor things however , and I would not hesitate to recommend this camera . Of course , when you buy a camera that has been out this long , you risk there being an anouncement of a replacement model coming out shortly after your purchase . I wonder if that may be coming given the recent price drop of this model . This is definitely a great camera though so if you are not hung up on waiting for the latest and greatest , now may be the time to get an excellent deal on a high quality camera .
    • 059 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) Let me initally state . . . I love Sony . I've long ago had Kodak and admired the workmanship of Cannon , Nikon and other top brand cameras . One day my husband smuggled home a Sony DSC-F707 . He wasn't supposed to buy one more gadget . But i have to admit , once I saw it in action on vacation , I realized it was worth my fussing . Recently that camera died and was to old to be worth the repair . So I looked into other possiblities in other brands . Price vs . what I needed it to do . This was the best camera for the price . It does great macro and some serious zooming . Also great on landscape . I was with a friend while he was using his Sony A500 . We both saw a momentary photo op and because he had to change his lense . . . i was the only one fast enough to capture it from across the lake and thru the trees . I also noticed when taking similar photos , mine were just as good as his . It's also a lot smaller and lighter than the oldie . I look forward to fully operating the camera beyond my current knowledge and many more Sony years to come : )
    • 062 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) Very good , I change my DSC H50 for this one . This one improve sequential shots . Now you have much more frames in one second ( 10 fps ) AND this shots are 9 megapixel in hi resolution . I do animals pictures , and this is very usefull to me . If you will use for children , action and animals , is a VERY GREAT improvement . They improve the optical zoom , too . The zoom is great , but Nikon has a larger one . The colors of the Sony is very near to true colors . If you compare to others like Nikon and Fuji , Sony is very better . The other ones , have colorless pictures that you need to use some software to enrich it . It make 1080p HD video with stereo sound , I Don't know about panoramas . . . Never tried it ! This one don't have infrared nigthshot , but it was useless for me .
    • 064 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) Bought this camera two days before taking a trip to Egypt and with no time to read the manual or play around with this camera I still managed to take some amazing photos . As much as I hate to say it , the easy and auto functions did a better job of taking photos then the manual settings did ( due more to operator error then anything ) . I am sure once I get to learn the nuances of the camera that will change . Two real cool settings are the twilight setting as well as the anti-blur setting which are amazing for taking pictures of something moving at a high rate of speed . I found that with a little planning and a little luck I was able to take incredibly clear pictures from a moving automobile at over 120 kph ( about 70 mph ) . It worked much better and much faster then the burst method of taking pictures . The anti-blur and twilight settings take a burst of 6 photos and combines them into one amazingly clear photo . Also the zoom is incredible . I could take pictures of things from such great distances and they still come out clear . I also used the zoom for a macro shot of some wildlife and the pictures looked like the shot was taken from inches away instead of from many yards away . This is a great bridge camera . Meaning that while it might not be a DSLR it is as close as one can get in the point and shoot category . One last side note , I watched someone take an amazing photo with what would be a similar camera but DSLR , while I was amazed by the quality of his shot , I was more amazed by the fact that it took him nearly 2 minutes to set the shot up . I handed him my camera and said just push the button . The pictures were identical and he asked me where he can get one like it when he goes back home . In summary this is probably the best all around camera that can be bought for a reasonable amount of money .
    • 067 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) Like some of you , I read the very critical reviews and hesitated about making the purchase of the DSC-HX1 . I read a few more reviews and made a determination that the reviewers are critical about everything , even a $4000 DSLR . Makes one wonder if we should even waste our time with reviews . I made the purchase and I am not sorry . . . . very happy as a matter of fact . I am not a professional , but not a rank beginner either . I wanted to step up from the pocket model camera I was using , Sony also . The HX1 will do everything that I expect and much more . The 20X zoom is wonderful . The photo's I have taken have been great . The manual was well written and very easy to follow . It took me no time to learn the operation . The software for the computer is top of the line and photo storage is one of the best . This is a two thumbs up camera . I know that finding a carry case has been a problem , as it was for me as well . The case Sony recommends is not nice to look at and overpriced . I lucked into one that seems to be a perfect fit . This is the Sony LCS-VA15 , also sold by Amazon . This is a mini camcorder case , but is working out great . The front pocket will hold the charger and extra battery , the main pocket the camera , keys , a mini wallet with credit cards and license , all the memory sticks you want to carry and maybe another small item or two . That sounds like too big . . . . but it is not . It is a well designed small package that holds more than it should . I notice very little camera movement and no rubbing . For less than $20 you cannot go wrong . Might even save the ladies from packing along a purse .
    • 068 4  Like some of you , I read the very critical reviews and hesitated about making the purchase of the DSC-HX1 . I read a few more reviews and made a determination that the reviewers are critical about everything , even a $4000 DSLR . Makes one wonder if we should even waste our time with reviews . I made the purchase and I am not sorry . . . . very happy as a matter of fact . I am not a professional , but not a rank beginner either . I wanted to step up from the pocket model camera I was using , Sony also . The HX1 will do everything that I expect and much more . The 20X zoom is wonderful . The photo's I have taken have been great . The manual was well written and very easy to follow . It took me no time to learn the operation . The software for the computer is top of the line and photo storage is one of the best . This is a two thumbs up camera . I know that finding a carry case has been a problem , as it was for me as well . The case Sony recommends is not nice to look at and overpriced . I lucked into one that seems to be a perfect fit . This is the Sony LCS-VA15 , also sold by Amazon . This is a mini camcorder case , but is working out great . The front pocket will hold the charger and extra battery , the main pocket the camera , keys , a mini wallet with credit cards and license , all the memory sticks you want to carry and maybe another small item or two . That sounds like too big . . . . but it is not . It is a well designed small package that holds more than it should . I notice very little camera movement and no rubbing . For less than $20 you cannot go wrong . Might even save the ladies from packing along a purse .
    • 070 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) This is my third Sony DSC H camera . I have loved everyone of them . Great images , easy to use , lightweight to carry . Love the extra zoom on the HX1 and rapid fps . The panarama reature is not as great as hyped ; can't print them with my photomate so still figuring out how to get them printed . Only negative : emailed sony customer service and no reply back .
    • 072 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) Excellant point and shoot.As good as some DSLR cameras.The HD movie mode and Sweep / panning mode work very well.An awesome little point and shoot.The 20x zoom is amazing.Get an extra battery and an 8 GB card.You'll need it for video .
    • 074 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) Excellent camera . Good features . Indoor photography at it best . Came out with natural color . Flash gives best results . 10fps is ok , but still not so impressive . Anyway we are not professionals to use this feature in its way . Panorama feature is mind blowing . Video quality is commendable . If you have a extra lighting indoor shooting will be interesting . Focusing time is very very short . Sony kept its word . Almost all features worked well . I am still experimenting on it . As of now after using the camera for 3 weeks and taking more than 800 photos I am really impressed with it . I just switched over from Panasonic Lumix FZ8 . I am not at all disappointed .
    • 076 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) The camera takes crispy , vivid pictures . Most features , such as 10 fps burst , work as nicely . The panoramic mode works but not every single shoot succeeds - some of mine were not stitched smoothly , one people's face was 1 / 4 chopped . The video side is a bit disappointed . When shooting on 1440x1080 HD mode , the unmoved objects are unspeakable clear , but for the moving scenes , such as shooting city building from a moving car , or even just zooming in and zooming out , the video is very unsmooth . I think it drops frames for some reason . But I figure I should use video cam for video and camera for photos only . I own a Sony SR - 11 HD camcorder , the video is much smoother - it can take pictures , but just not as good as a camera with the same pixel numbers . Overall , the camera is well worthy for the price . Strongly recommand HX - 1 . Also , the original camera I received had defect - it could not read any memory sticks . I requested item exchange and the 2nd one was shipped to in front of my house within 20 hrs ! Amazing Amazon .
    • 079 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) This is the best and affordable camera and camcorder you can get in the same package . The image quality is great in its class and the video is unbeatable ( 1080P ) . It has several features ; some that are inclusively unique , like the panoramic , twilight and anti blur features . It can detect eye blinks , smiles on adults , childs , even on infants , and prioritize between them . It has an incredible zoom ( 20x ) , movable 3 inch LCD , and an electronic View Finder with all the functions that are present on the LCD . Cons So far , the only negative thing that I have found is that with low light when you make a high zoom the focus keeps hunting . I have attended this weakness during the zoom in low light , by selecting manual focus and manually focusing on the desired item .
    • 081 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) As the owner of a couple of Nikon digital SLRs ( D70 and D300 ) , I was looking for something smaller that I could carry with me every day . When traveling with the Nikons , I always feel compelled to bring all my lenses , filters , lighting , etc . , and it quickly becomes a chore . This little camera takes great shots and doesn't need any accessories . The biggest bonus for me is the panorama feature . I've used this in my job to scout locations as well as during a recent trip to Boston . It's simple to use , fool-proof , and the functionality is easy to manage . I'm not the biggest fan of the Sony Memory Stick - - it's just another kind of media card to add to the collection and another card reader to buy . I really do carry this camera with me every day . I have an even smaller camera that just doesn't take shots as great as this Sony . Of course , for my really big sight-seeing trips , I'll lug the Nikons and all their paraphernalia , but for smaller trips and every day use , this Sony is the one and only .
    • 084 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) this machine is perfect for non professional who wants 2 in 1 , take pictures and film .
    • 087 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) I am not a professional photographer but a mother who loves to photograph all the awesome things my family does . I bought the DSC-HX1 6 months ago , I had the Sony DSC-H10 for a couple years and it was really good , I was very pleased so when I went to upgrade I wanted to stay in the family because I already learned all the buttons on my old Sony and was very happy with it . Well now I am soooo happy , all the little things that I wished were different on the old camera are all fixed on my new one . The video recording on my old one would not zoom so I still had to use my old camcorder for school plays and things like that , well this one zooms and how ! I was in the back row at my sons band concert and I could zoom all the way up the the Nike symbol on his shoe , it is great and now I have officially retired the camcorder ( it is not a perfect camcorder replacement but I am not looking for that becasue I do not take alot of movies , if I had a wish though it would be that they made the video recording with a stabilizer but ooh well that is the only thing in my eyes that makes this camera not perfect ) . I have 2 boys in football so the burst speed on the old one was OK , with this one I have parents asking me to forward them all the cool pics I get ! They actually made this model easier to use than the last one which was just a nice bonus ! And last thing that bothered me about my old camera is that it did not have a date stamp on it , I take trillions of photos and I NEED the photo to tell me when it was taken , the software included with the old one would not even imprint the date for me so I have 2 years of pictures that I am not exactly certain of when they were taken ( I know it sounds silly but it really bothered me ) . The new model does not automatically imprint the date but if I download the photos with the Sony included software then it does and that is good ehough for me ! Overall I am tickled pink with this camera1 Can't wait to see what is out there in 2 years when I upgrade again !
    • 089 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) I absolutely love this camera ! Takes beautiful , clear pictures ! The adjustable screen on the back is great . Used it at a get together and was able to get a good group shot from above and still see what I was doing ! My mom is even convinced that this needs to be her next camera as well !
    • 091 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) I am very happy with the camera . I did a lot of research before making the purchase and the results have lived up to my expectations . The disappoinging feature involves Amazon.com . The Amazon advertisment stated that if you purchase this camera a 4Gb . memory stick duo will be included at no extra charge . There was no memory stick either installed in the camera or included as a separate item . I wrote to Amazon 2 weeks ago about this oversight but have not had the courtesy of a reply .
    • 093 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) I bought this DSC-HX1 because it is fully automatic but allows manual operation if desired . Having had it for less than a month , I have not yet read the instruction manuel so I have only used it in automatic mode . I am pleased with the ease of operation and the quality of picture it takes automatically . I am anxious to begin to learn and use its many features .
    • 096 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) I gave my daughter the camera for Christmas . She did a lot of research before choosing this model and she loves it . Lightweight , easy to use , common sense features as well as being a great gadget ! ! ! Definitely a good investment for someone who is serious about taking photographs .
    • 098 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) I am enjoying the ease of use of this camera . I love hikes and taking the panoramic shots and they are absolutely beautiful images . . . I've posted them on my Facebook and people comment that I could make my own calendars and posters . The video is very good and easy to use . I am not expert in photography but everything is easy to find that I feel more comfortable to try out the other options . I've wanted a camera with a great zoom and this one sure has it . I've been able to get fantastic shots - the camera fits right in the hand so it is very easy to hold . It is a bigger camera - not anything that can slip in a pocket - but if you want fantastic zoom and quality pictures you have to sacrifice the camera size . I hike with it and it is light and has not been in inconvenience yet especially when I see the quality shots I get . Best I have had yet .
    • 100 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) I really have enjoyed learning as many features on this camera as I can , though there is a lot to learn . I was anxious for this camera to be released and compared it very closely with the canon sx1 . They were very close on all counts , but the Sony simply had more features that matter a lot to me . The panarama mode is awsome and has worked every time I have used it . The high speed shooting was important and at 10 frames per second there is no competition outside of high end slr's , and I do not like packing lenses . Speaking of the lense , it is better than I thought it would be . Like I said , I compared the canon sx1 and the Sony hx - 1 and the photo quality and hd video were pretty much a wash , they are both very good , but I could not be happier that I chose the Sony !
    • 102 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) I've been using this camera for the last 15 days , and it's almost perfect for an amateur , as I am . I can't talk about the auto settings , because I always shoot in Manual setting . The image quality is very good , also in very law light conditions , easy to use , light weight , feels good in hand . Of course there're always things that the brand could improve : minimum ISO is 125 , in Manual setting there's only one button to set ISO , speed and f . , you have to go to the menu to set in telefoto , and little other things that are to improve . In summary , a very very good camera for amateurs . I heartily recommend it .
    • 105 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) This is a great camera ! ! The quality of shots is amazing and the feature to have panoramic shots is awesome . I also use it for video and the video is amazing . . . . great product overall . . . .
    • 113 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) This camera really worths the amount spent . Its very easy to use , so if you are not an expert , you will still be able to take great pics .
    • 115 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) This is the third HX Sony camera I own , I have always like the inclination on the Lents before and the screen now the image quality is superb , and the new features are just great , it is smaller than their predecessors which makes it great for traveling and you don't lose all the features of a big professional camera , I have taken some pretty amazing photos with the panoramic feature and it is really easy to use , the camera is beautiful and ergonomically well design .
    • 119 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) This camera is extremely useful . I didn't want to carry a bunch of extra lenses nor did I want a huge attached zooms lens as is standard with removable lenses . This camera can do it all . The sweep mode allows great panorama shots that are automatically stitched together in the camera . There are many modes to shoot in and I am still learning them . The twilight mode works quite well in low light and produces some interesting photos . I have had some unexplained shutdowns , but haven't had time to read the whole manual yet to figure out what is going on . It may be operator error .
    • 121 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) For those adventurous amateur photographer , this camera will fit all your needs ! So much fun with sweep panorama functionality ! Nice pictures in low light conditions due to its technology which increases the light exposure by taking six pictures and integrating them . Of course , best results ( less grain in pictures ) might be achieved by increasing the exposure time at low ISO , but it may result in poor pictures of ( not necessarily fast ) moving subjects .
    • 125 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) It is very easy to use , with it you become a professional photographer with its incredible interface . definitely one of the best purchases I've made , 100% satisfied .
    • 127 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) Moving up from a P & S camera to one with a few more options was the best move for me . I had a Sony , was happy but needed more choices.This one was the best of the 3 I tried . Nokia & Canon were on my list , but didn't make the cut for one basic reason , ease of use.Even the instructions were simple to follow . I was up and shooting in an hour.The price was great too .
    • 132 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) Just got it today . Pictures look pretty good in all modes . Excitedly , I took my first 720p video . The video quality was very good . Happy with it . Audio was good until I decided to zoom in and out of an object . YIKES ! ! ! A clear hummmmmm is recorded every time I zoom in our out . How disappointing . Admittedly , it was almost dusk and there was no noise to record , as I was in a very quiet front yard . But still . Zoom humm in my videos . I'll continue to test this camera , but my guess is this noise is distracting enough in the video to make me send the darn thing back . Why can't anyone make a camera that doesn't have some problem ? ? ? So far , I've sent the Lumix FZ28 back ( mono sound is lacking ) . Sent back the Canon SX1 ( no 720p - 1080p too difficult to deal with ) . So now I guess it's back with the DSC-HX1 . Oh , not to be a grouch , but please don't anyone tell me to get a video camcorder . Some of those do it too . I want a decent still camera and a decent 720p video built in one fairly small device . Ain't found it yet . * * * * UPDATE ! * * * Make it 4 Stars I've decided to keep this camera despite the noisy zoom on video . I am very happy with the pictures , especially the Handheld Twilight Mode , which enables me to get almost motion-free blur pics , even at night when people are moving . To compensate for the motor zoom noise , I've purchased a Blue Mikey for my iPhone . That way I can get an alternate audio track if good quality is important . Good camera . I like it .
    • 133 4  Just got it today . Pictures look pretty good in all modes . Excitedly , I took my first 720p video . The video quality was very good . Happy with it . Audio was good until I decided to zoom in and out of an object . YIKES ! ! ! A clear hummmmmm is recorded every time I zoom in our out . How disappointing . Admittedly , it was almost dusk and there was no noise to record , as I was in a very quiet front yard . But still . Zoom humm in my videos . I'll continue to test this camera , but my guess is this noise is distracting enough in the video to make me send the darn thing back . Why can't anyone make a camera that doesn't have some problem ? ? ? So far , I've sent the Lumix FZ28 back ( mono sound is lacking ) . Sent back the Canon SX1 ( no 720p - 1080p too difficult to deal with ) . So now I guess it's back with the DSC-HX1 . Oh , not to be a grouch , but please don't anyone tell me to get a video camcorder . Some of those do it too . I want a decent still camera and a decent 720p video built in one fairly small device . Ain't found it yet . * * * * UPDATE ! * * * Make it 4 Stars I've decided to keep this camera despite the noisy zoom on video . I am very happy with the pictures , especially the Handheld Twilight Mode , which enables me to get almost motion-free blur pics , even at night when people are moving . To compensate for the motor zoom noise , I've purchased a Blue Mikey for my iPhone . That way I can get an alternate audio track if good quality is important . Good camera . I like it .
    • 134 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) I have just received my Sony Cybershot DSC-HX1 9.1 Digital Camera 8 / 31 / 09 and & here's an up date review of this item thst will be list below here.Last month one took a vacation cruise for 9 nights with five port-of-call for Portland , & Bar Harbor , Me . & St.John , New Brunswick , plus Halifax , Nova Scotia , plus Boston , Mass.where one give this here Digital camera a real work out as one was very pleased with all my 246 Photo's taken.This up date report was done 10 / 20 / 09 a month after coming back from my vacation cruise taken.I am very pleased with my new Sony Cybershot DSC-HX1 Digital Camera .
    • 138 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) So far it has taken great pictures . After a little time you will learn how to use all the features . I haven't had the camera that long . Took it to Disney World and shot a ton of pictures and movies . Like I said pictures look great when viewed on the camera . I haven't downloaded them to my computer yet .
    • 142 4  This review is from : Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 - Digital camera - compact - 9.1 Mpix - optical zoom : 20 x - supported memory : MS Duo , MS PRO Duo , MS PRO-HG Duo ( Electronics ) I bought this camera from Amazon and it was supposed to come with a free memory card . Firstly , I had trouble understanding how to get the free card , because the instructions are pretty unclear . Amazon was nice enough and rushed me a free memory card , but it does not fit the camera . The free memory card is an SDHC card , while the required card is a Memory Stick Pro Duo flash memory card . Without the card , the camera has only 11mb of memory , so it only holds a few pix . Despite the fact that I haven't taken any pictures , the camera itself is of high quality and I'm eager to use it .

  • 028 4  I have had this camera for a few weeks now and like it very much . I am not going to write a technical review , because those that would understand it can interpret the data for themselves . This is a simple review for a single camera that can be used by the advanced photographer and still hand it over to you wife or kids and still get a great picture . This is truly a family camera . Let me say that it never stops to amaze me how far technology has come . Having said that lets look at some of the less known feature . 1 - In camera editing . You can change a frown to a smile , a blur to a sharp image . Mix back and white with some color elements in the same picture and shoot with a fish eye lens effect if you want and you don't need the lens . All this and much more and it's easy to use . 2 - Ten pictures a second . If you have owned a digital camera , you know how slow it can be between pictures when you are trying to catch you granddaughter running about . In low light it takes multiple pictures and combines the best elements of each to give you one good image . In portrait mode it will give you a warning on the screen if the person blinks when the shutter is snapped or will take two picture when set and keep the best one . It will wait to take the picture until someone smiles and much more . The results are stunning the technology amazing . 3 - Wide angle to telephoto with a small camera body and lens . 4 - Scene selection works like a charm . Backlight , front light , no light , portrait or landscape it sees and selects the best setting and fill flash if needed . The amature can get excellent results in the worst of conditions . Want to do it yourself , switch to manual mode . Hope this peaks your interest . I could go on for pages , but this is a great camera at a great price . I would recommend it and I have owned some of the best . This camera is fun and it allows you to focus on your subject and forget about the tech stuff . OK , some additional information . I just returned from a trip to Europe and took over 700 pictures . I have to say as a point and shoot camera , it has given me some of the best pictures I have ever taken . LOW Light - Again , no tech speak . I found some carved statues in a dark corner of a cathedral . It was so dark I almost walked past them if not for a flash light glimmer from a tour guide . With no flash allowed , I set the camera to low light , steady hand held mode and shot the picture . In this mode the camera shoots 5 fast pictures and the internal processor makes a composite picture from the 5 shots . The results are astounding ! The pictures are rendered with natural light and are as clear and sharp as day . I used this feature over and over again with outstanding and dynamic results every time . Pan Pictures - Given the wide street pictures and tall cathedrals it is very hard to compose pictures with a standard lens and not cut off buildings and towers . The 270 degree pan mode gave me incredible pictures of street scenes and buildings that would have been lost in the translation of single images . Please not that there is some distortion as you pan across the scene in some applications , but the effect is not objectionable and in some cases added to the dynamics of the photo . In short , this is the best camera I have ever owned for this kind of work providing professional results with little or no effort . Buy one and have a ball . . .
    • 043 4  Generally this is a great camera - good pictures ( though noise level could be less in some circumstances ) - easy to use - a definite improvement over the DSC-H5 which this replaced . I use the camera for bird photography . Lightweight portability is an advantage . 20x zoom eliminates need to digiscope , and I hope the 1.7x tele-converter will be even more of a plus . BUT BUT - the lack of a spot focus or manual focus means that I sometimes have difficulty getting it to focus on a small bird on a branch - it focuses on everything else except the spot I want to be focused on . And why in the world does Sony insist on a 3 minute shut off time ? Why can't I make that decision & run down battery if I choose to do so ? A PAIN !
    • 056 4  First of all I did a considerable amount of research on Digital point and shoot cameras - I checked Canon , Nikon , equally as well . I was looking for a simple , easy to use camera that would give me good results for an upcoming trip to Europe . I read the various reviews on the DSC-HX1 and paid particular attention to those who felt the camera was not up to their expectations . After playing with the camera for a few days I can tell you that this camera is great . I have no problems with the features , the quality of pictures or the ease of use . If you are looking for a great , easy to use point and shoot camera for general photography , this camera is for you . Those of you who are into detailed , high graphic photography - where you want to fiddle with exposures , focus and all those other time consuming features - don't by this camera - go with a Sony SLR Digital . Just don't try to make this camera what it's not - it simply is a good all around friendly point and shoot . I highly Recommend the camera .
    • 083 4  I've owned every Sony Super Zoom Digital Camera since introduction of the DSC-H1 and the DSC-HX1 is the BEST yet . Compared to other cameras , similar to the Sony DSC-HX1 , the HX1 is easier to use , has the best features , and takes the best pictures . I purchased Canon cameras for years but since purchasing Sony cameras , I haven't looked back . I love the Sony Digital Cameras . I own three of them .
    • 088 4  I am not a professional photographer but a mother who loves to photograph all the awesome things my family does . I bought the DSC-HX1 6 months ago , I had the Sony DSC-H10 for a couple years and it was really good , I was very pleased so when I went to upgrade I wanted to stay in the family because I already learned all the buttons on my old Sony and was very happy with it . Well now I am soooo happy , all the little things that I wished were different on the old camera are all fixed on my new one . The video recording on my old one would not zoom so I still had to use my old camcorder for school plays and things like that , well this one zooms and how ! I was in the back row at my sons band concert and I could zoom all the way up the the Nike symbol on his shoe , it is great and now I have officially retired the camcorder ( it is not a perfect camcorder replacement but I am not looking for that becasue I do not take alot of movies , if I had a wish though it would be that they made the video recording with a stabilizer but ooh well that is the only thing in my eyes that makes this camera not perfect ) . I have 2 boys in football so the burst speed on the old one was OK , with this one I have parents asking me to forward them all the cool pics I get ! They actually made this model easier to use than the last one which was just a nice bonus ! And last thing that bothered me about my old camera is that it did not have a date stamp on it , I take trillions of photos and I NEED the photo to tell me when it was taken , the software included with the old one would not even imprint the date for me so I have 2 years of pictures that I am not exactly certain of when they were taken ( I know it sounds silly but it really bothered me ) . The new model does not automatically imprint the date but if I download the photos with the Sony included software then it does and that is good ehough for me ! Overall I am tickled pink with this camera1 Can't wait to see what is out there in 2 years when I upgrade again !
    • 094 4  I bought this DSC-HX1 because it is fully automatic but allows manual operation if desired . Having had it for less than a month , I have not yet read the instruction manuel so I have only used it in automatic mode . I am pleased with the ease of operation and the quality of picture it takes automatically . I am anxious to begin to learn and use its many features .
    • 108 4  I bought the DSC-HX1 two weeks ago from Sony Style , good deal if you sign up for their visa . Previously had an Olympus 840 , which is a great camera and I will use when I need a pocket camera , however there is no going back once you start using the features of the Sony DSC-HX1 . It has a solid feel , not very light , and you need to take advantage of the neck strap . Low light photographs are unbelievably good , no comparison to any other digital I have used . The panorama feature is very cool , but wait until you take a video and watch it on your 1080i / p LCD TV . I have a Sony 46 and I was knocked out by the quality of the picture and the color . The sound is a little weak , but all things considered even the sound was acceptable . The Sony DSC-HX1 features and Sony quality ( made in Japan ) makes the few extra bucks for this camera worthwhile . I was leaning towards the Olympus SP - 590UZ , which has a sweet long 26X zoom , but reviews were not the best for low light and no HD video . If you have the extra $100 , I don't think you will be disappointed .
    • 117 4  I bought the DSC-HX1 to replaced my old Sony . The new technology is wonderful . Great photos , vibrant colors , sharp focus . . . love it .

  • 030 4  I purchased the camera prior to a trip to Banff . I liked the idea of the powerful zoom and ability to take panoramic shots . I have an older Sony point and shoot which takes beautiful shots so I was optimistic . I wanted the camera to take excellent shots in auto mode and yet allow some light manual control . The camera's powerful zoom allowed excellent ability to get close to the Grizzly bears at Lake Louise . The zoom speed and power were excellent . The macro ability was also quite good . The panoramic shots that instantly process on the camera were great and I almost kept the camera for this ability alone . The sharpness of the shots of the wolf I took was incredible . Every hair was visible . However , I ultimately returned the camera because every shot was significantly over exposed . I wasn't trying to get perfect pictures and don't expect them . The over exposure was pronounced in auto mode in every situation I took pictures in . Also , when I compared the shots with my 3 year old point and shoot Sony , the older / cheaper camera's were significantly better . Better color saturation in the older camera and no over exposure at all . I don't believe the newer , more expensive camera should take worse pictures . I returned the camera for a refund ; disappointed .
    • 044 4  Brought this camera as a gift for my dad . He is really impressed . I got my chance to play with it for a couple of weeks and I know why he is so impressed with it . First of all it is really easy to use . I used it to capture some nature , abstract objects , night shots , low-light shots , long distance shots . The images were absolutely gorgeous . It is really amazing that a camera that is packed with so many features / zoom ranges can output such high image quality . The best feature I found was the sweep panorama mode . Used it to capture bridges , tall buildings , hills , freeways . Nowhere did it disappoint . Works perfectly all the time . Overall the camera is really easy to use for a point and shoot kinda guy and also has lots to play around tweaks / adjustments built for the more serious photographer . Would definitely recommend it !
    • 055 4  I have had this camera 10 days of vacation with family and friends . I mostly use the ' iPhoto ' setting where the camera does everything . Not only can it focus on faces , it distinguishes children from adult faces ! Anti shake worked great , so one handed quick snaps of the kids playing worked greaH . My close-up focus used to be chancy , but this automatic macro zoom worked great , even for video . Excellent auto adjustment for backlight , including fill in flash . Problem : a 100 ft long replica of Henry Hudson's ship the half moon - - Solution : use the panorama setting where it stitches the photoes together for you in the camera . Problem : my kids halfway up a 300 ft cliff : again the vertical panorama . I wanted to take archive pictures of some B & W family photos from the 1930s . Problem : the flash or ambient light caused reflections off the glossy surface . Solution : The low-light-no-flash anti-shake setting took 5 quick pics and merged the results . They look better than the originals ! Suggestions : buy the memory card ! There is not much built-in . Otherwise you cannot take much hi-def . I stopped in a Radio Shack and got 8GB for $35 . Buy the case ! I did not and was worried about damage . An extra battery also would not hurt . For those who want artistic control , There are various manual settings - - not what I needed . I feel this camera has a lot more for me to discover . Cons : the screen is always exposed so fingerprints abound . It only has a very limited rotation , and seems fragile . I would have preferred one like my old Cannon which can be roatated closed and is sturdy . [ one reviewer claimed the camera opened and popped the lens cap even in review mode , but that did not happen for me . ] So far no regrets !
    • 066 4  The bad reviews written by so called professionals are all [ . . . ] ! This is a great camera . P . S . this camera is right there with many DSLRs I have used . Photo quality is amazing !
    • 112 4  Sony has hit a home run with this jem of a camera . Feature rich and great quality photos makes this a must buy . Sony has done their homework and come up with an outstanding ultra zoom digicam : )
    • 130 4  It seems to me that this camera requires some learning . . . the auto and other shooting options seem to be either over exposed or under exposed . I always need to adjust the exposure to get a better image quality . If you are looking for a pure point and shoot with no more intervention , this camera may not be right for you and you may find the image quality is not good at all . However , the new feature such as panorama mode is easy to use . The twilight and anti-burr options are nice but also require manual adjustment of exposure . The HD video recording result is also very good . Again , if you are willing to spend some time to learn to use this point and shoot , this is the right camera for you . if not , please look for another model . Good luck ! !
    • 136 4  I'm not much into videos on a digital camera but I must say this HD1080 is pretty awesome when viewed on a Sony HDTV but having said that would someone possibly be able to tell me why it want load the videos on my computer ? I can go into the removable drive and force them to load but then they want play . Does anyone else have this problem ? Please comment because even tho I'm not into video , this issue is driving me crazy . I've tried talking to sony but they don't seem to know what I'm talking about . Otherwise I do really like this camera and I bought it thru amazon and got it about three days before it was supposed to be available .

  • 042 4  I have owned other high-end point-and-shoots and DSLR's , and the Sony HX1 fits in a nice spot between them . It has many cool features that make photography fun and easy , such as the 10fps shooting mode and panorama mode . I like the flip-out LCD which lets me sneak those candid shots when no-one thinks you're taking a picture . The lens is decent and gives a sharp focus . The lithium battery lasts a long time . Unfortunately , like most cameras in this category , it does have a small imaging sensor that can give you some grainy images , especially in low light . Sony tries to compensate for this by including a low light feature that takes a number of rapid shots at different exposures in an attempt to reduce noise and give you an optimally exposed picture . Pretty cool . But you still may need to invest in some good noise reduction software . The HD video capability is a great feature and works well , you can shoot in either HD or SD and record stereo audio . I had a Canon Vixia HF100 HD video camera , and the video from this camera looks just as good when viewed on a big screen . If you want to travel light and want a decent photo camera that can also shoot high quality HD video , the Sony HX1 is a good choice . My only complaint is having to use the goofy Sony memory stick , making all my SD cards useless . Sony needs to give up on that one already !
    • 090 4  I absolutely love this camera ! Takes beautiful , clear pictures ! The adjustable screen on the back is great . Used it at a get together and was able to get a good group shot from above and still see what I was doing ! My mom is even convinced that this needs to be her next camera as well !

  • 065 4  Bought this camera two days before taking a trip to Egypt and with no time to read the manual or play around with this camera I still managed to take some amazing photos . As much as I hate to say it , the easy and auto functions did a better job of taking photos then the manual settings did ( due more to operator error then anything ) . I am sure once I get to learn the nuances of the camera that will change . Two real cool settings are the twilight setting as well as the anti-blur setting which are amazing for taking pictures of something moving at a high rate of speed . I found that with a little planning and a little luck I was able to take incredibly clear pictures from a moving automobile at over 120 kph ( about 70 mph ) . It worked much better and much faster then the burst method of taking pictures . The anti-blur and twilight settings take a burst of 6 photos and combines them into one amazingly clear photo . Also the zoom is incredible . I could take pictures of things from such great distances and they still come out clear . I also used the zoom for a macro shot of some wildlife and the pictures looked like the shot was taken from inches away instead of from many yards away . This is a great bridge camera . Meaning that while it might not be a DSLR it is as close as one can get in the point and shoot category . One last side note , I watched someone take an amazing photo with what would be a similar camera but DSLR , while I was amazed by the quality of his shot , I was more amazed by the fact that it took him nearly 2 minutes to set the shot up . I handed him my camera and said just push the button . The pictures were identical and he asked me where he can get one like it when he goes back home . In summary this is probably the best all around camera that can be bought for a reasonable amount of money .
    • 038 4  I have had this camera for about 3 weeks and so far I have been extremely pleased with it . This is a great camera option for people who want to take high quality pictures but don't want to spend a lot more money for a DSLR ( with the lenses you need ) OR for people who don't want to lug around the bulk / equipment of a DSLR . I really don't understand the people in these reviews complaining about poor image quality , the images I have taken with this camera have been outstanding - - - especially in good lighting conditions . I mostly use this camera for nature / scenery photography outdoors , and I have been very pleased with the image quality for both scenery / still objects as well as for birds and moving objects . I don't doubt that a DSLR might take better quality pictures in the eye of a professional , but in most good-lighting conditions it would be very hard to tell the difference between images from this camera and images from a low or mid end DSLR . Another thing to consider is how much you will actually get to use this camera : you can take this camera with you almost anywhere so you will most likely use it a LOT more than you would use a DSLR , which is harder to carry with you all the time . Strong points for this camera are ( 1 ) excellent overall value for the money , ( 2 ) the superzoom is very useful and the image quality even at maximum zoom is very high , ( 3 ) the panorama mode works just as well as advertised and is a very cool new feature ( but if you still want to stitch your pictures together yourself you can still do that , but trust me this is one heck of a lot easier / faster and the results are excellent ) and ( 4 ) much easier to carry with you lots of places ( i.e . , hiking , long walks , etc . ) than a DLSR with the lenses you would need to cover short and long range zoom situations . As far as weak points , there is not too much to say except for a couple of minor annoyances like ( 1 ) the lens cap pops off when you turn on the camera , but this really doesn't cause any problems , ( 2 ) you have to use a Sony memory stick format ( I bought the 4GB one with the camera ) and ( 3 ) can't really compete with the image quality you would get from a DSLR in low light situations , but for most non-professional picture takers the images you get with this camera in low-light environments will be MORE than good enough to make you very happy with them . I have not used the video yet so I can't comment on that aspect of the camera . I highly recommend this camera , it is an excellent value !
    • 045 4  First the picture quality is not DSLR , but for a point and shoot its one of the best out there . Pros - 1 . Any camera in its range will produce pictures in good lighting are near perfect , but what makes this camera good is the low light image captures . . Again NO DSLR , better than any point and shoot . . 2 . Much talked about panorama is superb , but i couldnt find many places where u can shoot a meaningful 224 deg panorama . 3 . Anti - blur and Hand held twilight do a very good job , Much better than a SX10 in this field . 4 . Powerful flash . 5 . Amazing burst mode . It wont shoot 10fps other than in perfect lighting , but even in low light it can shoot about 4 - 5 fps 6 . Long lasting battery Cons 1 . Intelligent Auto - Not as intelligent . For better pics its recommended to shoot in program auto / scene selection 2 . Expensive memory options
    • 095 4  I got this camera because I am not a professional photographer and did not need a DSLR camera . I am extremely pleased with this camera because of the clarity of the photos . The battery is great , and the camera is easy to use once you play around with it for a little while . One of my favorite features is the smile feature , because it will take the picture right when it senses a smile from the subject . Another great feature is the break feature , it will let you take several pictures in a row ( for sport photos & such ) . It takes a few seconds to record the pictures once you take them , but it is very neat and you can choose the speed at which you want your pictures to be taken . I have taken lots of amazing photos with this camera and couldn't be happier that I made the purchase !
    • 111 4  Fascinating camera . The new CMOS sensor lets it shoot 10 fps that really , ( yes , really ! ) works . The ' sweep panarama ' mode also really works . . . and well . Oh , and the camera takes nice photos as well , with outstanding color accuracy . This camera has a long list of features , perhaps more than any other digital camera being sold at the moment , but these are the most significant to me .

  • 101 4  I really have enjoyed learning as many features on this camera as I can , though there is a lot to learn . I was anxious for this camera to be released and compared it very closely with the canon sx1 . They were very close on all counts , but the Sony simply had more features that matter a lot to me . The panarama mode is awsome and has worked every time I have used it . The high speed shooting was important and at 10 frames per second there is no competition outside of high end slr's , and I do not like packing lenses . Speaking of the lense , it is better than I thought it would be . Like I said , I compared the canon sx1 and the Sony hx - 1 and the photo quality and hd video were pretty much a wash , they are both very good , but I could not be happier that I chose the Sony !
    • 075 4  Excellent camera . Good features . Indoor photography at it best . Came out with natural color . Flash gives best results . 10fps is ok , but still not so impressive . Anyway we are not professionals to use this feature in its way . Panorama feature is mind blowing . Video quality is commendable . If you have a extra lighting indoor shooting will be interesting . Focusing time is very very short . Sony kept its word . Almost all features worked well . I am still experimenting on it . As of now after using the camera for 3 weeks and taking more than 800 photos I am really impressed with it . I just switched over from Panasonic Lumix FZ8 . I am not at all disappointed .
    • 078 4  Bought this camera a week ago and have been playing with it since then . Produces great photos . Menu is very simple and easy to follow . Features are awesome too . I would definitely recommend this product . It produces great photos without having to carry a set of lenses , change them etc . If you are not a professional photographer but want to take good pictures . . . this is it . It does not get any better . One does not associate Sony with still cameras but this one surprised me . . . pleasantly so . Really delighted with the purchase . Highly recommend this one . I would use the video recording feature only in case of emergency . . my preference is to use Sony HD Video Camera , which produces fabulous videos .
    • 104 4  The product is excellent ! Within a very short period of time I was able to function in the primary areas that I will operate in . The Cybershot makes it easy to switch from normal picture taking , to an awesome panoramic capturing capability , into an HD movie . Maybe I'm an easy mark , but everyone that I've shown the camera to is in awe . I'm excited and looking forward to becoming more proficient with this versitile piece of equipment !
    • 106 4  This is a great camera ! ! The quality of shots is amazing and the feature to have panoramic shots is awesome . I also use it for video and the video is amazing . . . . great product overall . . . .
    • 120 4  This camera is extremely useful . I didn't want to carry a bunch of extra lenses nor did I want a huge attached zooms lens as is standard with removable lenses . This camera can do it all . The sweep mode allows great panorama shots that are automatically stitched together in the camera . There are many modes to shoot in and I am still learning them . The twilight mode works quite well in low light and produces some interesting photos . I have had some unexplained shutdowns , but haven't had time to read the whole manual yet to figure out what is going on . It may be operator error .
    • 128 4  Moving up from a P & S camera to one with a few more options was the best move for me . I had a Sony , was happy but needed more choices.This one was the best of the 3 I tried . Nokia & Canon were on my list , but didn't make the cut for one basic reason , ease of use.Even the instructions were simple to follow . I was up and shooting in an hour.The price was great too .
    • 139 4  So far it has taken great pictures . After a little time you will learn how to use all the features . I haven't had the camera that long . Took it to Disney World and shot a ton of pictures and movies . Like I said pictures look great when viewed on the camera . I haven't downloaded them to my computer yet .
    • 144 4  This was a gift - - I did not personally use it , but heard from the recipient that it was great and she really likes it .

  • 109 4  sony made some large claims about the dsc-hx1 before it was recently released to the marketplace . i am happy to say the camera delivers on all those claims . the panorama function works so easily anyone can use it . the burst function really did take ten shots in one second . the 20x telephoto lens is just plain fun to use . the longer i work with it , the more i discover . i found out that sony stores provide free , one-hour , one-on-one lessons to camera purchasers.i hope to find answers to some of the questions the manual does not answer . i wish sony included a hd cable with the camera so i could view the movies i shot in hd without running out for the cable . the computer software included was nothing special . the camera is a gem
    • 021 4  Only had this camera for 2 days but I can tell you I really enjoy having it already . Very easy to use , very smart auto mode , image stabilization and auto focus . Great quality pictures and videos as well as sound . Love the panorama mode . Love the features : anti-blur , 20x zoom , pictures taken in low lit environments , and the ability to plug it right in to my HDTV !
    • 107 4  Like all all-in-one cameras , it has a few limitations , such as noise in certain situations , save times , etc , but the 20x zoom , great image stabilization , fast burst mode , 1080p movies , auto scene detection , and smile detector features make it an amazing camera for the price . Shop around for a cheap 8 gigs of memory and sell your camcorder .
    • 145 4  Have the camera , and new telephoto and wide angle lens , The tube adapter was for a h9 at 12x . when trying to use for a 20x , will not work at all . Have been trying to get fixed - - good luck

  • 123 4  Well , you know what they say . Hind sight is 20 / 20 . Lesson learned . This camera is wonderful and I am an idiot . I have now used the Nikon P100 ( returned 2 due to lockup and then some more serious issues ) , this one , the Fuji HS10 and now I own the Panasonic FZ35 . The sony has the BEST picture quality simply set to auto . The next would be the Nikon and Pany tied for 2cd with the Pany taking much better quality photos , and the 3rd would be the HS10 which in my HUMBLE opinion STANK in auto . I returned the Sony to Wolf camera basically because I wanted to try the new HS10 , which hadn't been released yet , and the fact that I owned so many nice FAST SDHC class 6 and 10 memory cards . And then I end up returning the Fuji . After the Sony I realized how bad the pics taken with the Fuji really were . But it was too late . So I just got the Panasonic . I do like it , but I am still learning the camera . I only recieved it yesterday . The Sony takes beautiful macro shots with SUCH ease , not so for me with the other cameras . It took lovely night shots , good indoor shots and all in an auto settings mode . I wish I could say I played with other settings but I really didn't . The in camera Panning mode works really well , again , MUCH better picture than with the HS10 in the same mode . Colors were lovely and pics were SHARP . I loved that . I would get some over processing , but I now realize all I had to do was go in and change the settings , tweek it a little . Live and learn . So I simply want to recommend this camera . I have compared it to many others , but no Canons . so I'm of no help there . I feel almost anyone can take great pictures right out of the box with this baby . I'm still kicking myself .

    • 141 4  The camera isn't a bad buy for the money - and it's on the high-side of prices for its class . It has lots of features . But anyone who thinks that an ultra zoom works is deluding themselves . There's barrel distortion at wide angles and the images at 560mm telephoto equivalent are not very sharp . The lens also produces images with relatively weak contrast . The camera does not allow one to manually adjust contrast or color . That has to be done post processing , and the lack of RAW images limits serious image manipulation . There's some other annoying design attributes . To view images in the camera , the camera obviously has to be turned on , but that also extends the lens and pops the lens cap off . The program control knob is loose enough that the sometimes you'll find it set for something other than expected - that is , it'll switch with casual use from , say , Intelligent program mode to Easy or Vibration mode . Sure , that's user error , but the engineering could be better . The main problem , though , is the optics for any advanced amateur . Sony can and should do better .

      • Amazon gets an C on this one . Minutes after I order the camera it drops the price 40.00 . I called amazon and they refunded the difference . But notice now the price changed again . First 499 then down $40 up $20 now back up to 499 . Amazon has changed the price four times in as many days . Is that how they operate ? Have only had the camera one day so it may be a little soon to review but from what I have seen so far I can honestly say this camera is amazing . First off even with all it's features I find it very user friendly . The fell of the camera is just right . Where it really shines so far is low light photography . I have used many cameras in my day from medium format to Nikon's best SLRs and nothing shoots like this at night . I took a photo of my back yard and it filled the image with enough light that you would think I have strobes set up in every corner . I look forward to using a tripod . You will not regret this purchase and at this price I can't see why anyone would spend more . The software that comes with the camera is really just as great as the camera . It downloads the images , files them in a very user friendly way and deletes the memory stick . Now I can finally keep track of my images .
        • 046 4  UPDATE : Amazon gets an C on this one . Minutes after I order the camera it drops the price 40.00 . I called amazon and they refunded the difference . But notice now the price changed again . First 499 then down $40 up $20 now back up to 499 . Amazon has changed the price four times in as many days . Is that how they operate ? Have only had the camera one day so it may be a little soon to review but from what I have seen so far I can honestly say this camera is amazing . First off even with all it's features I find it very user friendly . The fell of the camera is just right . Where it really shines so far is low light photography . I have used many cameras in my day from medium format to Nikon's best SLRs and nothing shoots like this at night . I took a photo of my back yard and it filled the image with enough light that you would think I have strobes set up in every corner . I look forward to using a tripod . You will not regret this purchase and at this price I can't see why anyone would spend more . The software that comes with the camera is really just as great as the camera . It downloads the images , files them in a very user friendly way and deletes the memory stick . Now I can finally keep track of my images .
        • 050 4  This camera is fantastic ! ! ! ! ! ! I'm not a big photography buff , or at least I wasn't . I mainly use it for family pics and its great , it gives me perfect still shots of my running , jumping , swinging daughter . I have taken it for a spin with some nature photos and they have turned out beautifully . I understand that many actual photographers may have some issues with some of the features , but for someone who just wants to take pictures of the family or family outings it is wonderful .
        • 092 4  I am very happy with the camera . I did a lot of research before making the purchase and the results have lived up to my expectations . The disappoinging feature involves Amazon.com . The Amazon advertisment stated that if you purchase this camera a 4Gb . memory stick duo will be included at no extra charge . There was no memory stick either installed in the camera or included as a separate item . I wrote to Amazon 2 weeks ago about this oversight but have not had the courtesy of a reply .
        • 097 4  I gave my daughter the camera for Christmas . She did a lot of research before choosing this model and she loves it . Lightweight , easy to use , common sense features as well as being a great gadget ! ! ! Definitely a good investment for someone who is serious about taking photographs .
        • 114 4  This camera really worths the amount spent . Its very easy to use , so if you are not an expert , you will still be able to take great pics .
        • 129 4  I just wanted a a good camera for normal use . This one gave me the feeling that I'm holding a real camera - not a toy like other small ones in the market . It also gave me more than my expectations as a non-professional photographer beside to its easy of use . Yet I don't know exactly as a non-porfessional user what is the real difference of using more pixels , I think it would be better if they provided more than 9.1 mp .
        • 143 4  I bought this camera from Amazon and it was supposed to come with a free memory card . Firstly , I had trouble understanding how to get the free card , because the instructions are pretty unclear . Amazon was nice enough and rushed me a free memory card , but it does not fit the camera . The free memory card is an SDHC card , while the required card is a Memory Stick Pro Duo flash memory card . Without the card , the camera has only 11mb of memory , so it only holds a few pix . Despite the fact that I haven't taken any pictures , the camera itself is of high quality and I'm eager to use it .

      • Possibility 1 : Super optical Zoom up to 34X ( equv . to 952mm ) if you use 1.7x tele-conversion lens which is not offered by Canon SX1 . DSLRs cannot easily reach this zoom range unless you are rich enough and strong enough to bring those lenses in your backpack . Possibility 2 : Great picture quality with the sharpness comparable to most low-end DSLRs if you have enough kownledge and technics of photograghy , for example by adjusting ISO , aperture or speed etc . HX1 offers almost all features you can find in DSLRs when you turn the mode dial to M , A , S , P . The best picture is not made by the camera , it's by your brain . Sony HX1 ' s professional G lens made the good quality possible . Possibility 3 : Great sharp HD Video with stereo sound , you can record video as long as your memory card can hold , with a 16GB card you can easily take hours of HD video . The resolution of 1440x1080p is already sharp and smooth enough and when you watch your video with TV or computer , what you see is the same video quality as full HD at 1980x1080 . Yes , Canon SX1 has the REAL 1980x1080 , but it has a limitation of 4GB or 30 min , while its ' video file MOV is much larger which can quickly occupy all your memory card . Canon T1i has HD video too , but it's with mono sound and same limitation . Possibility 4 : Graet performance with low light conditions.HX1 ' s unique Hand-held Twilight and Anti-Motion Blur modes are so cool that you don't need a tripod to shoot good pictures at night , in church or any indoor occasion . They are both based on Sony's technology of combining 6 speedy shot pictures into one final photo.Besides , you have the option to change ISO up to 3200 . Possibility 5 : HX1 ' s Panorama ( both horizontal or vertical ) is the only fantastic feature you can find now in the whole world . Possibility 6 : Very friendly nevigation Menu lets your job simple , easy and convenient . Possibility 7 : Camera body is very solid but light weight with Sony's stylish design . Possibility 8 : High-speed shoot at 10frames / s with full resolution , so you never miss the important moments when your kids play sports . It's the highest speed which even surpasses the high-end DSLRs . Though it has a limit of 10 pics per shoot and a 17 - second waiting time to saves these pics , as an ordinary amateur I'm satisfying with this feature . Possibility 9 : You can add many cool digital color filters through the built-in menu to gain the same resault of the real filters . However , the only cons I noticed right now are the limit of 10 continuous shoots and the design of the tilt LCD.It's better to let LCD reversible ( like Canon SX - 1 ) so I can protect the screen easily . I highly recommand to apply a protective film with your LCD . I'd like to rank SONY HX - 1 with 6 or 5 + stars if it's possible . You'll not regret to own such a great combination of all possibilities at a right price range for our amateurs . The bottom line is , if you are not in the industry of publishing , advertising or media , you probably need only this camera along with your journey around the world , no matter you need high-quality , high-zoom , high-speed , HD Video , high-ISO , panorama , low-light shoot , low-light weight , HX - 1 offers you all . Good luck !
        • 006 4  Before to order Sony HX1 through Amazon , I did a lot of reserch works with all possible information online , my considerations were among Canon SX1 , Canon T1i , Nikon P90 and Sony HX1 . Now after almost two weeks of practice with Sony HX1 , I can surely to say it's really the best combination of all cool possibilities you can find on current market : Possibility 1 : Super optical Zoom up to 34X ( equv . to 952mm ) if you use 1.7x tele-conversion lens which is not offered by Canon SX1 . DSLRs cannot easily reach this zoom range unless you are rich enough and strong enough to bring those lenses in your backpack . Possibility 2 : Great picture quality with the sharpness comparable to most low-end DSLRs if you have enough kownledge and technics of photograghy , for example by adjusting ISO , aperture or speed etc . HX1 offers almost all features you can find in DSLRs when you turn the mode dial to M , A , S , P . The best picture is not made by the camera , it's by your brain . Sony HX1 ' s professional G lens made the good quality possible . Possibility 3 : Great sharp HD Video with stereo sound , you can record video as long as your memory card can hold , with a 16GB card you can easily take hours of HD video . The resolution of 1440x1080p is already sharp and smooth enough and when you watch your video with TV or computer , what you see is the same video quality as full HD at 1980x1080 . Yes , Canon SX1 has the REAL 1980x1080 , but it has a limitation of 4GB or 30 min , while its ' video file MOV is much larger which can quickly occupy all your memory card . Canon T1i has HD video too , but it's with mono sound and same limitation . Possibility 4 : Graet performance with low light conditions.HX1 ' s unique Hand-held Twilight and Anti-Motion Blur modes are so cool that you don't need a tripod to shoot good pictures at night , in church or any indoor occasion . They are both based on Sony's technology of combining 6 speedy shot pictures into one final photo.Besides , you have the option to change ISO up to 3200 . Possibility 5 : HX1 ' s Panorama ( both horizontal or vertical ) is the only fantastic feature you can find now in the whole world . Possibility 6 : Very friendly nevigation Menu lets your job simple , easy and convenient . Possibility 7 : Camera body is very solid but light weight with Sony's stylish design . Possibility 8 : High-speed shoot at 10frames / s with full resolution , so you never miss the important moments when your kids play sports . It's the highest speed which even surpasses the high-end DSLRs . Though it has a limit of 10 pics per shoot and a 17 - second waiting time to saves these pics , as an ordinary amateur I'm satisfying with this feature . Possibility 9 : You can add many cool digital color filters through the built-in menu to gain the same resault of the real filters . However , the only cons I noticed right now are the limit of 10 continuous shoots and the design of the tilt LCD.It's better to let LCD reversible ( like Canon SX - 1 ) so I can protect the screen easily . I highly recommand to apply a protective film with your LCD . I'd like to rank SONY HX - 1 with 6 or 5 + stars if it's possible . You'll not regret to own such a great combination of all possibilities at a right price range for our amateurs . The bottom line is , if you are not in the industry of publishing , advertising or media , you probably need only this camera along with your journey around the world , no matter you need high-quality , high-zoom , high-speed , HD Video , high-ISO , panorama , low-light shoot , low-light weight , HX - 1 offers you all . Good luck !
        • 015 4  Like many of you , I spent a significant amount of time researching cameras before coming up with a decision that was best for me . My first digital camera was a Sony ( back in 2001 ) and I quickly returned it for a Canon due to the ridiculously poor picture quality and expense of the memory sticks . Canon has never done me wrong , I have to say , so I was a little hesitant to venture across the aisle to the Sony HX - 1 . Let me just say : Sony has definitely stepped up their game . . . and then some . Before I begin , here is some background of my search before I spoil the ending ( although I think I already did ) : 1 . I landed on the super zoom category given my NEED for more zoom ( 3 - 5 X zoom is no longer acceptable ) and my self-admitted laziness in terms of the D-SLR family . . . not wanting the extra weight and not yet smart enough for the full manual world . 2 . From all of the reviews , I was most intrigued by three different cameras : Sony HX - 1 , Canon SX20 IS , and the Panasonic Lumix dmc fz35 . 3 . All of them , of course , have very strong features that make them quite appealing . To the same effect , all of them ( even more of course ) seemed to be lacking in certain areas . - Canon : Very useful articulating LCD , but only 2.5 inches ( and TRUST me , it makes a difference ) . HD video , but not full HD ( 720p vs 1080p ) . Canon name , but no new innovation to speak of . - Panasonic : Larger LCD , but fixed to the camera body . No HD video , but strong reviews on picture quality . 18 X zoom vs Canon & Sony's 20 X . - Sony : Won me over for the following : Larger LCD that pulls out and rotates up / down ( yeah , not articulating like the Canon ) . Innovation ( i.e . , setting an example for other companies to follow ) in terms of processing chip ( cmos ) that allows for Sweep Panorama ( FUN ) , Burst ( up to 10 fps . . . although not usually that many ) , and anti-blur modes for both low light ( twilight ) and normal motion . The video is , in effect , full HD ( 1080p ) , the buttons feel VERY intuitive , and the overall feel of the camera is solid and easy to hold in most sizes of hands . I've had the camera for several days , and during that time I can say I've been extremely impressed with the pictures this camera helps create ( remember , YOU are the one who is responsible for deciding what to shoot and what settings to use ) . I can tell that I will have this camera for several years and will get significant use out of it . That being said , it is not perfect . While I have yet to have a camera that impresses me with indoor shots , this camera has something to be desired when looking at indoor pictures I took on my desktop . Not bad at all , just not what I would want ideally . I think it loses touch with color and clarity when taken indoors , although the flash helps with both . . . it loses the character that you get from non-flash pics . All in all , I really came to my decision after reading so many USER reviews stating how much they enjoyed the camera as well as the cutting edge direction Sony has taken its product development . And now that I have it , the macro is incredible , the zoom allows me to take crystal clear pictures of the MOON , the colors when outdoors are vivid and true to life , and the overall like factor is very strong . I stand by this camera , and recommend it for anyone who , like me , has been craving more zoom power and ingenuity . In the end , remember . . . the camera can only do so much . It's up to you to learn the features and be the photographer . Best of luck !
        • 016 4  I struggled over a 4 or 5 star rating for this product but ultimately believe that Sony has delivered an excellent package in the HX1 . The other cameras I considered prior to purchasing the HX1 were several DSLRs , which I ruled out due to lack of support for video and the Canon SX1 . The tipping points for me on the Sony were the panorama , twilight steady shot and high speed burst modes . The image quality is absolutely excellent and there are more than enough program modes to help you get the ideal image for your shooting conditions . The intelligent mode selection works surprisingly well and is our defacto setting for the camera . I must say that while the panorama setting initially felt like gimmick , it is REALLY cool and works very well . I now look for opportunities to shoot panoramas ! There a many more than you think - this feature will change your perspective on shooting images . The video is high quality , though I've been wrapped up in the still image shots since getting the camera a few days ago so I can't comment fully on this yet . There are only two significant issues that keep this from being the perfect camera for me . The first is the damn Memory Stick format . What the heck is Sony thinking with this ? I realize that corporate greed and ego drive Sony to create their own standards for every thing but this has nearly prevented me from purchasing this excellent product . I have purchased a 4 GB MS Duo Pro and a 8 GB Micro SD with a MS Duo adapter . I have not used the Micro SD with the adapter yet but I'm concerned about speed . We shall see . The other frustration for me is the speed of writing the 10 shots taken in burst mode to the memory card . It takes 10 - 15 seconds to write the 10 shots to the card . That seems oddly high to me but I'm sure that they tried to make it as fast as possible . Overall , the camera is fairly small and light for a near SLR experience . I recommend this camera to those who want the super zoom , HD video and image control offered herein .
        • 061 4  At first I was having doubts about buying this camera because it costs more than other digital camera but I am so happy with what I got . The camera is VERY easy to use , I love all the features it comes with , especially the sweep ( panoramic ) mode . SO COOL ! It's very light , not as heavy as it may look . My only issue is with the battery that came with it . It's only been lasting for 30 minutes or so , then it says it's dead , and this is even after charging it for over 24 hours . However , could just have been a bad battery and I haven't seen any other reviews on issues with the battery length . I'm hoping buying another battery will do the trick . I would DEFINITELY recommend this camera to anyone ! Takes amazing pictures !
        • 063 4  Very good , I change my DSC H50 for this one . This one improve sequential shots . Now you have much more frames in one second ( 10 fps ) AND this shots are 9 megapixel in hi resolution . I do animals pictures , and this is very usefull to me . If you will use for children , action and animals , is a VERY GREAT improvement . They improve the optical zoom , too . The zoom is great , but Nikon has a larger one . The colors of the Sony is very near to true colors . If you compare to others like Nikon and Fuji , Sony is very better . The other ones , have colorless pictures that you need to use some software to enrich it . It make 1080p HD video with stereo sound , I Don't know about panoramas . . . Never tried it ! This one don't have infrared nigthshot , but it was useless for me .

      • You must know what type of camera you need before making a purchase . For me , the HX 1 has the perfect package . It has 20x optical zoom ( which also works in video mode ) , perfect for spotting small animals in the Amazon jungle . The innovative hand-held twilight and anti-motion blur modes take 6 burst shots and even out to give a clearer picture . I've tried all these modes with maximum zoom and the image qualities were excellent . Even with super-steady-shot in place , I could not achieve the same clarity with my A100 in low light conditions or with motion . I took pictures of monkeys in motion , landscape shots on a wobbly canoe , zoomed into flowers across the river . . . and the HX1 always delivered . The panoramic mode was really awesome . I took fantastic panormas of Rio de Janeiro and Iguazu Falls , vertically and horizontally . While the resolution is not high and there are glitches if you look closely , I cannot complain because I would not have taken any of those shots if I had to stitch together the panormic image myself . The 10fps burst mode is really cool . It's true that you have to wait for it to process , but who cares if you can catch something in live action . The HD videos came out very very clear , even on my HDTV . I bought an 8gb memory stick and almost filled up the whole card because it was so much fun to play with all the features of the camera . And the weight really mattered . This camera was so much lighter than what I expected given it's slew of functions , that I took it everywhere , even on long hikes . Many of the photos that I took would not have existed if I had to lug the SLR because it was just too bulky and heavy . That being said , this camera does have its shortcomings . It is a high end point-and-shoot , so do not expect it to deliver SLR quality shots . For that , you need a real SLR . All the reviews that said it performs poorly in high ISO setting are true , and the noise is definitely noticeable beyond 800 or so . But again for me , I take mostly daytime outdoor shots , so it didn't really matter . In the intelligent mode and program modes , you can only choose no macro or automatic macro . This is kind of annoying when you really need a macro shot of a flower or insect , because the camera sometimes doesn't know what to focus on ( it will automatically focus on the object closest to it , which may not be the desired subject ) . You can choose manual focus , but it's a bit of a hassle to keep changing settings , as you cannot really move the lens back and forth like a real SLR lens . Thus , you will have to choose the distance for the camera to focus on , which may seem too long when the butterfly is about to fly away . . . = ) I give this camera 5 stars because it's perfect for my needs - namely the 20x zoom , the smaller size compared to DSLRs , the HD video capability ( a good HD camcorder will cost upwards of $600 ) , strong battery life ( takes up to 380 shots on one charge ) and the innovative functions . such as panoramic mode , hand held twilight , and anti-motion blur modes . It does have enough manual functions such as shutter priority or aperature priority modes and manual focus should you choose to use them . All in all , it fits all my needs and I had loads of fun with it .
        • 008 4  I was somewhat scarred as a youth having to carry around a huge film SLR . Looking back now I appreciate the film quality , but it made me a point and click user for most of my adult life . Now that I have a child , I really wanted to get back to the best possible picture quality and also capture HD movies . The HX1 is exactly the camera I need and can afford right now . The photo quality is the best I've experienced in years and the HD video is top notch . My previous cameras , the Sony T500 and W290 had very good 720p HD video . The HX1 1080p HD video is noticeably better . After two weeks and weekends of use , here are my pros and cons : Pros - Great photo quality - Full size HDMI cable support . It comes with an adapter so you can use any HDMI cable which is much cheaper than buying a Mini HDMI cable - Camera feels very solid - Panorama mode is fun , especially if you print it out - HD video is fantastic . Stereo sound is great - Great feel in your hands , comfortable grip - LCD is nice and big . Swivel screen feature gets used a lot - Automatic mode gets the perfect shot most of the time - I love that there are different levels of shooting modes including full manual . I feel this is the perfect trainer before moving to a full SLR - Camera is very light Cons - Camera turns on and off fairly quickly , but not instant ( fast enough that I haven't missed any photo ops though ) - I wish the LCD swiveled to protect the screen . I highly recommend a screen protector as the LCD rubs against your chest when using the neck strap - Low light performance is better than point and clicks , but it's no SLR I feel the HX1 is the perfect camera for those seeking great photos , sharp HD video , and a high zoom for a price more affordable than a full SLR with HD video and high zoom lens . When I visit friends and family , the HDMI cable is so easy to plug in to HDTVs for quick viewings . At home , I connect my pro duo card to the PS3 which reads the data flawlessly .
        • 010 4  I just took this camera on a 2 week trip to Brazil and Argentina and I absolutely love it ! I have owned 5 Sony cameras and this is the best that I've seen . Prior to this , I've had 4 point-and-and-shoot cameras from the cybershot series as well as the DSLR A100 . I travel extensively , so I mostly use the camera for scenic shots . I've had the A100 for about 3 years now . While I am happy with the image quality , it does weigh quite a bit especially if you have to carry 2 lenses with it . Also , my fiance loves to take videos , so he's been using the T10 as a backup camera and camcorder . I was looking for a lighter camera that also has good video capabilities , and viola ! I found the HX1 ! I struggled between giving 4 or 5 stars on this review , and at the end decided on 5 stars . Here's why : You must know what type of camera you need before making a purchase . For me , the HX 1 has the perfect package . It has 20x optical zoom ( which also works in video mode ) , perfect for spotting small animals in the Amazon jungle . The innovative hand-held twilight and anti-motion blur modes take 6 burst shots and even out to give a clearer picture . I've tried all these modes with maximum zoom and the image qualities were excellent . Even with super-steady-shot in place , I could not achieve the same clarity with my A100 in low light conditions or with motion . I took pictures of monkeys in motion , landscape shots on a wobbly canoe , zoomed into flowers across the river . . . and the HX1 always delivered . The panoramic mode was really awesome . I took fantastic panormas of Rio de Janeiro and Iguazu Falls , vertically and horizontally . While the resolution is not high and there are glitches if you look closely , I cannot complain because I would not have taken any of those shots if I had to stitch together the panormic image myself . The 10fps burst mode is really cool . It's true that you have to wait for it to process , but who cares if you can catch something in live action . The HD videos came out very very clear , even on my HDTV . I bought an 8gb memory stick and almost filled up the whole card because it was so much fun to play with all the features of the camera . And the weight really mattered . This camera was so much lighter than what I expected given it's slew of functions , that I took it everywhere , even on long hikes . Many of the photos that I took would not have existed if I had to lug the SLR because it was just too bulky and heavy . That being said , this camera does have its shortcomings . It is a high end point-and-shoot , so do not expect it to deliver SLR quality shots . For that , you need a real SLR . All the reviews that said it performs poorly in high ISO setting are true , and the noise is definitely noticeable beyond 800 or so . But again for me , I take mostly daytime outdoor shots , so it didn't really matter . In the intelligent mode and program modes , you can only choose no macro or automatic macro . This is kind of annoying when you really need a macro shot of a flower or insect , because the camera sometimes doesn't know what to focus on ( it will automatically focus on the object closest to it , which may not be the desired subject ) . You can choose manual focus , but it's a bit of a hassle to keep changing settings , as you cannot really move the lens back and forth like a real SLR lens . Thus , you will have to choose the distance for the camera to focus on , which may seem too long when the butterfly is about to fly away . . . = ) I give this camera 5 stars because it's perfect for my needs - namely the 20x zoom , the smaller size compared to DSLRs , the HD video capability ( a good HD camcorder will cost upwards of $600 ) , strong battery life ( takes up to 380 shots on one charge ) and the innovative functions . such as panoramic mode , hand held twilight , and anti-motion blur modes . It does have enough manual functions such as shutter priority or aperature priority modes and manual focus should you choose to use them . All in all , it fits all my needs and I had loads of fun with it .
        • 012 4  The features are excellent in this camera . Like the burst mode which captures up to 10 pics and u can choose the best out of it . Similarly the smile detection mode which really does a good job of clicking at the right moment . The flash in completely dark ambiance comes really good as if the place had good lighting . Sweep Panorama is simply great , so easy and most of the time even if we shake the picture still comes good . The HD video is simply awesome both the quality of the video and audio . The bad part ( yes its bad , to me its highly disappointing ) is the quality of the picture is really not meeting the basic expectation . The pictures are most of the time noisy irrespective of good lighting or not . In Intelligent Auto mode , you have to either choose burst or smile detection mode . The un-comfortable part is in burst mode the flash can't be switched on and in the smile detection mode flash can be switched on but the camera starts clicking automatically even before every one in the picture is ready and we are ready to take the picture ( like before we adjust the area of the picture ) . So we are forced to go for the Manual / Program mode which is not a great answer for a point-and-shoot camera . On a whole the camera has real great features , but the noisy image quality makes it average or below average camera . Sony should definitely correct this and release the next version .
        • 013 4  Few months ago I got H50 . I loved it but hated the noise level on pics . I gave it back hoping that Sony will come out with something new . And here it is ! ! ! I've had it for 3 days now and cant say anything except for LOVE iT ! ! Hand-hend twighligt takes good quality pics . intelligent auto works good , sometimes when used with zoom it gets confused and switches to macro and gives blurry pics , but . . . still love it ! ! ! Battery life is very good , it shows on the display how many minutes you have left ( I took about 200 pics and still have 170 min left ) . Great , amazing camera ! ! ! ! !
        • 024 4  I've owned this camera for a month now . I paid $460 and was a little dubious at first . However , the camera met my every need . And now that its down to around $400 , I say run , don't walk , and put this puppy in your hands . I've been using digital cameras for several years now and my biggest gripe was the lag between hitting the shutter button and when the shutter actually fires . I can't tell you how many priceless moments were lost because of that delay . Well , forget that delay forever . This camera is damn fast and will even bracket 3 exposures in the time it took me to get one on my old point and shoot . The steady shot works amazingly well and as someone else mentioned , you can take blur free shots in low light without a tripod . I took some night time shots of the moon rising over the Cancun beach that are just amazing for a non dslr . In years past , I trecked across Europe lugging my trusty Fujica with 3 lenses ( one , a 200mm zoom ) and constantly hating the weight and inconvienence . Not to mention the constant lense changing from wide to tele and the knowledge that I probably had the wrong lens for the shot ' cause I had no time to change lenses . Of course , the solution to this problem is to carry a second camera . . . and you know where this story is going . The 20x OPTICAL zoom on this baby covered all my bases except extreme wide angle . . . and this was solved by the panorama feature . One camera . . . one lens . . . ahhhh the freedom . The final killer feature is the HD video mode . From the back of the theater , at night , I could show the whole stage and zoom in on the stage performers faces . My audience was blown away with the clarity and zoom range . And the steady shot feature made the extreme zoom moments rock steady . The picture did not jump all over the place and looked extrordinarily professional . The only down side ( if this can be considered a down side ) is that the HD video can only be copied on to a bluray disk and for this you need a bluray writer , which I don't have . I was quite disappointed when I couldn't distribute the disk to my friends .
        • 031 4  I have only had this camera for about 24 hours , but I am very impressed about it . There are several unique features : - The panorama feature is takes about 1 minute to master , you just turn the dial to panorama , press the shutter button and scan the area you want to photograph while pressing the shutter . - Twilight feature ( great for when you don't have access to a tripod ) - Backeting can be done easliy allowing you to make HDR images with ease ( you can process them on your computer ) - The camera can shoot 10 images in a second ( great for sports ) - 1080P video There are many other features , but I thought these were the most unique .
        • 032 4  Let me start by saying-Thank you Amazon . I pre-ordered this unit from SonyStyle back in March . They couldn't deliver . So two days ago I found it on Amazon and bam , delivered and in use in two days . Thanks for nothing SonyStyle . - All I can say is Wow . Out of the box , quick set up and I took my first picture . After viewing the picture , I was amazed at how professional they look . If you want a DSLR then buy one . This is not a SLR camera , don't compare it to one.It does what it does for a great price and for what it is , a high power point and shoot , I don't think you can ask for more . Basically it will do everything an amature photog would want it to do , maybe even your dishes . It's got that much going on . With time you can experiment with the focus and create some great shots . I chose this camera for it's battery life and high power zoom . You can go a long time on one battery . I purchased an extra and a travel battery charger , I didn't know it came with a travel charger . The zoom is awesome and steady . Great job Sony on a very affordable almost professional point and shoot . . . too bad you couldn't deliver your own product . Either way , I am a happy camper for my upcoming vacation to the beach . Oh and by the way , for those wondering , this is not a compact camera , it is almost as big as a SLR yet slightly lighter and a tad smaller . Not a camera for your pocket.I am sure if you get it you will be impressed .
        • 048 4  I think this camera is the best in its class . Before this I had dsc-h9 which has excellent image quality.Almost a year I've been using A350 DSLR ( with tamron70 - 300 lens ) . if you got bored carrying heavy dslr bags with heavy lenses , this is for you . Very sexy black construction . it is not heavy . Battery is ok . Perfect for travelling . In low light conditions you don't even need a tripod . Just hold it close to your body and use tilt function of lcd . I wish hx1 had carlzeiss optic and remote control .
        • 058 4  I recently purchased the HX1 after returning a defective Nikon P100 . I was a little hesitant to basically trade in a brand new model for a year-old one , but I was impressed by reviews and some of the features available on this camera . It turns out that I made a great decision . In most cases the image quality is very good . Yes , it does suffer from low light noise , but don't all point and shoot cameras ? The pictures generally come out very sharp and vibrant , and they look great when printed . The zoom on this camera is only 20x vs the P100 26x , and the difference is noticable . But it's also noticable that images are still sharp at maximum zoom , unlike the P100 which always looked very soft at its maximum zoom . I gladly give up the little extra zoom for the quality of the pictures . Also , do not be scared off by the rather low 9 megapixels . If you are not making posters , this is plenty . I am still able to crop relatively small areas of an image to a 4x6 print and have the results look decent . The features offered on this camera are impressive . The stitch panarama is pretty amazing and the results look surprisingly good . Like most other cameras in this class , there is an intelligent auto mode . But the difference is that it actually works really well on this camera ( I had terrible luck in auto mode on the p100 and especially the p90 and always had to use P / A / S ) . For portraits though , definitely switch to A mode and adjust the aperture accordingly . Burst mode works great for capturing just the right moment , provided the lighting is good ( no flash in this mode ) . Hand-held twilight also works great . It's amazing what the camera can do in this mode with very little light . The images in this mode won't be perfect by any means , but it makes it possible to get shots that otherwise just could not be captured . Also note that the battery life on this camera is excellent . The display also does a great job of telling you how much battery life is left , providing not just a battery fill icon but also a minutes remaining counter . The video quality is pretty good for a p & s camera , but I still slighly prefer what I get from my Vado . Of course the HX1 wins out overall because of the zoom and all-in-one convenience . My main gripe with this camera is that it takes memory stick pro duo cards instead of the more universal SD card , but that comes with the territory if you buy Sony . Also , the menu sound is obnoxiously loud , even on the quieter setting . I keep it off except for the shutter click . These are just minor things however , and I would not hesitate to recommend this camera . Of course , when you buy a camera that has been out this long , you risk there being an anouncement of a replacement model coming out shortly after your purchase . I wonder if that may be coming given the recent price drop of this model . This is definitely a great camera though so if you are not hung up on waiting for the latest and greatest , now may be the time to get an excellent deal on a high quality camera .
        • 060 4  Let me initally state . . . I love Sony . I've long ago had Kodak and admired the workmanship of Cannon , Nikon and other top brand cameras . One day my husband smuggled home a Sony DSC-F707 . He wasn't supposed to buy one more gadget . But i have to admit , once I saw it in action on vacation , I realized it was worth my fussing . Recently that camera died and was to old to be worth the repair . So I looked into other possiblities in other brands . Price vs . what I needed it to do . This was the best camera for the price . It does great macro and some serious zooming . Also great on landscape . I was with a friend while he was using his Sony A500 . We both saw a momentary photo op and because he had to change his lense . . . i was the only one fast enough to capture it from across the lake and thru the trees . I also noticed when taking similar photos , mine were just as good as his . It's also a lot smaller and lighter than the oldie . I look forward to fully operating the camera beyond my current knowledge and many more Sony years to come : )
        • 069 4  We travel a lot and definitely needed to upgrade to a wide angle camera . We looked a lot to find one that included a powerful zoom as well as the wide angle and decided to go for the Sony HX1 since we've always had Sony cameras and once again we weren't disappointed . We were a little worried that it would be too heavy or big to be carried around during a long trip but this camera is just the right size and weight . It works wonderfully well . We specially liked the panoramic function which allowed us to take wonderful shots of squares , archeological sites , etc . and in showing the whole area it brings you the sense that you're there . A great plus is that it includes a compact wall charger , so you don't need to purchase a separate travel charger as with the older cameras . I definitely recommend this camera .
        • 082 4  As the owner of a couple of Nikon digital SLRs ( D70 and D300 ) , I was looking for something smaller that I could carry with me every day . When traveling with the Nikons , I always feel compelled to bring all my lenses , filters , lighting , etc . , and it quickly becomes a chore . This little camera takes great shots and doesn't need any accessories . The biggest bonus for me is the panorama feature . I've used this in my job to scout locations as well as during a recent trip to Boston . It's simple to use , fool-proof , and the functionality is easy to manage . I'm not the biggest fan of the Sony Memory Stick - - it's just another kind of media card to add to the collection and another card reader to buy . I really do carry this camera with me every day . I have an even smaller camera that just doesn't take shots as great as this Sony . Of course , for my really big sight-seeing trips , I'll lug the Nikons and all their paraphernalia , but for smaller trips and every day use , this Sony is the one and only .
        • 103 4  I've been using this camera for the last 15 days , and it's almost perfect for an amateur , as I am . I can't talk about the auto settings , because I always shoot in Manual setting . The image quality is very good , also in very law light conditions , easy to use , light weight , feels good in hand . Of course there're always things that the brand could improve : minimum ISO is 125 , in Manual setting there's only one button to set ISO , speed and f . , you have to go to the menu to set in telefoto , and little other things that are to improve . In summary , a very very good camera for amateurs . I heartily recommend it .
        • 124 4  dude , everyone should buy this camera . just got it in the mail today and its pack with awesome features . a camera you should not miss out on . great upgrade from the H50 . It's very fun to play with , especially with the Panorama shooting and the 10 fps mode . all the functions work really well while i was testing them . the flash is one of the strongest i've seen . The Design is very nice and clean to navigate . I like how shiny the body part of the Sony G Lens is , much better than the Carl Zeiss on the H50 . All in all , it is a great camera to use , as good as a DSLR , and will be great for traveling . what i need now is a camera bag , because you would get so paranoid carrying such an expensive camera lol . well , buy one people , you wont regret .

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